Artifacts indicating human activity found in 10 000 years old drowned pine forest

Lund, Sweden, May 12, 2009

Diver by the wood structure. Photo by Michael Palmgren SEA-U

This weekend divers made unique findings in the woods outside eastern Skåne which most likely represents traces of human activities. Arne Sjöström, diver and archaeologist, has encountered a 4×2 meters wooden structure on the subsea peat banks. This unique finding is probably a big fish trap. They have also found torch and charcoal residues in the bottom layers of the mud banks, as well as very typical round stones that most certainly were used as weights for fishing nets. The archeologist’s says that everything points to that there should be dwellings nearby.

If their assumptions are correct, it will be the oldest fishing gear found on the seabed off the Swedish coast. Its age will be determined by the C 14-method in the near future, but it is suspected to be 8 000-10 000 years old.

Tree still standing after 10 000 years, cut for testing. Photo by Michael Palmgren SEA-U

The pine forest at the bottom of the sea is still not completely mapped, but it is estimated to be several square kilometers wide, extending out to at least 30 meters deep. The absence of ship worm in the Baltic Sea makes everything surprisingly well preserved, even though it is up to 10 000 years old. “The trees are almost as new when you bring them to surface, with the root system and everything intact.” says Kjell Andersson, research engineer at the Lund Institute of Technology.

Kjell Andersson is the initiator behind the “Havsresan 2009″ program where Maritime Administration, the Swedish Coast Guard, Lund University, and several other agencies and businesses work together in a multidisciplinary project. The goal is to get a better picture of the coastal seabed outside eastern Skåne. “Available charts show only a rough outline of what is out there,” says Kjell Andersson.

The sandy sea bed covering most of the remains of the forest. Photo by Michael Palmgren SEA-U

For more information contact Kjell Andersson, Engineering Geology, Lund Institute of Technology, +46 704 91 24 84, or Madeleine Lundin, project coordinator for the Marine Center, Simrishamn Municipality, +46414 81 91 24.

Comparison between un-enhanced and lyynified video:

A video from 1995 showing the sunken forest. Before lyynification was invented.