The settlement on the island was atypical, finds of the Neolithic era were mainly made in caves
Archaeologist Mate Parika was studying satellite images of the Croatian coastline when he noticed something unusual. “I thought, maybe this is a natural island, maybe not,” said Parica, a professor at Zadar University.
The image showed a large shallow area on the seabed protruding from the east coast of Korcula Island.
Parika and a colleague decided to dive at the site and discovered what they believed to be a Neolithic settlement around 4500 BC, built on a small piece of land that was connected to the main island by a narrow strip.
They found the remains of the stone walls that surrounded the settlement, as well as tools and other items used by the residents. “We found ceramic items and flint knives,” he said.
Marta Kalebota, who manages the archaeological collection at the Korcula City Museum, said the location of the settlement was very unusual.
“At the moment, we are not aware of a similar find elsewhere, that a Neolithic settlement was built on an islet connected to a narrow strip of land,” she said.
Parika also said that the discovery of a settlement on the island was atypical and that Neolithic finds were mostly made in caves.
“Fortunately, this area, unlike most parts of the Mediterranean, is sheltered from the big waves, as many of the islands protect the coast. This certainly helped to preserve this place from natural destruction, ”said the attentive archaeologist.
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