6,000-Year-Old Human-Made Bridge Discovered in Spanish Cave

A recent study has revealed that an underwater structure in the Mediterranean Sea is much older than previously believed, shedding new light on the early human settlement of the Balearic Islands, which include Mallorca, Menorca, and Ibiza. The findings suggest that humans were living on the Spanish island nearly 6,000 years ago.

The study, published in the journal *Communications Earth & Environment*, focused on a 25-foot-long prehistoric “bridge” structure located inside the Genovesa Cave. Researchers analyzed the mineral formations on the bridge and examined a distinctive color band along the upper portion of the structure.

Earlier research had estimated that the bridge was constructed around 3,500 to 3,000 years ago. However, the new study indicates that it was actually built between 6,000 and 5,600 years ago. Rising sea levels have since flooded the cave’s passages, submerging the structure.

Bogdan Onac, the study’s lead author from the University of South Florida, and his team believe that this discovery pushes back the timeline of human habitation on the island. “This provides evidence for early human presence on the island dating at least 5,600 and possibly as far back as 6,000 years ago,” the authors noted in their study.

Regarding when humans first arrived on the Spanish island, the current scientific consensus places the earliest settlement around 4,400 years ago. Some studies have suggested that humans were present as early as 9,000 years ago, though definitive evidence has been lacking.

The researchers were able to determine the age of the bridge by studying the mineral formations and the color band, which helped them track changes in sea levels over centuries.

“This research underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in uncovering historical truths and advancing our understanding of human history,” Onac stated in a press release.

The limestone bridge was initially discovered in 2000 during a scuba-diving expedition in the flooded cave. Pottery fragments found at that time helped to date the structure. Additionally, the remains of a now-extinct goat-antelope species known as *Myotragus balearicus* were also discovered in the cave, providing further context for the era of human activity on the island.