Ancient Mystery Unveiled: Sicily’s First Humans Arrived Thousands of Years Earlier—What Does This Mean for History?
Finding Sicily to be a “glacial refuge,” these early humans settled in San Teodoro cave and survived as hunter-gatherers. They hunted large animals, especially deer. They cooked and ate the creatures’ meat, used their hides, and turned their bones into tools. They also collected flint and quartzite from nearby, which they turned into scrapers, points, and carving tools.
Archaeological Park of TindariInside of San Teodoro cave, which served as a shelter for prehistoric hunter-gatherers on Sicily some 16,500 years ago.
As such, the settlers to Sicily were advantageously located as the climate began to warm. Surrounded by maple, oak, and beech trees, as well as abundant wildlife, they were seemingly able to thrive on the island.
The discovery goes to show that even prehistoric sites that have been investigated before can offer up new findings. At San Teodoro cave, archaeologists have not only successfully excavated a deep layer, thus penetrating further into the cave’s early human past, but have also made a discovery that effectively rewrites the history of human settlement on Sicily — and in the greater Mediterranean region.
After reading about how prehistoric humans arrived in Sicily some 16,500 years ago, discover the fearsome stories of some of Earth’s most incredible prehistoric animals. Or, learn about the Megatherium, the extinct 13-foot sloth that once lived in the forests of the Amazon.
Post Comment