Hunter-gatherers settled in Cyprus thousands of years earlier than previously thought

With persistent stories of isolation, inaccessibility, and unattractiveness, one of the eastern Mediterranean islands was first populated by an influx of agricultural populations from the mainland under demographic pressures. It is generally considered to be a Neolithic phenomenon that began with. New research led by Professor Corey Bradshaw from Flinders University shows Cyprus may have been settled by hunter-gatherers by about 14,000 to 13,000 years ago, earlier than previously recognized. . This process must have involved a small number of large-scale migration events (hundreds to thousands of people), which infers the intentions and organization of these early humans.

In researching when Cyprus was first occupied by humans, Professor Bradshaw and his colleagues discovered that the large Mediterranean islands were an attractive and preferred destination for Paleolithic people.

Their findings contradict previous research that suggested Mediterranean islands would have been inaccessible and inhospitable to Pleistocene hunter-gatherer societies.

Archaeologists used archaeological data, climate estimates, and demographic modeling to uncover Cyprus’s early people.

Analysis of archaeological dating from the 10 oldest sites across Cyprus suggests that first human habitation dates between 14,257 and 13,182 years ago, which is longer than previously thought. It is also much older.

“The islands were then rapidly settled. Climate modeling shows that this early hominin population was able to cope with increases in temperature, precipitation, and environmental productivity sufficient to sustain large hunter-gatherer populations. “We show that this is the case,” the researchers said.

“Based on demographic models, we believe that large groups of hundreds to thousands of people arrived in Cyprus over two or three major migration events within 100 years.”

“This settlement pattern suggests systematic planning and the use of advanced vessels,” Professor Bradshaw said.

Within 300 years, or 11 generations, Cyprus’ population grew to a median of 4,000 to 5,000 people.

Dr Theodora Muzio, an archaeologist at James Cook University and the University of Cyprus, said: “This result suggests that Cyprus, and perhaps other Mediterranean islands, were more likely to be inhospitable places for Paleolithic hunter-gatherer societies. “This suggests that it would have been an attractive destination.”

“The dispersal and settlement of humans in Cyprus and other eastern Mediterranean islands was due to rapid climate change, with coastal regions inundated by post-ice age sea level rise and farmers forced to move to new locations. , it is argued that demographic pressures on the mainland are the cause.It is an area of ​​necessity rather than choice.”

“This interpretation has arisen as a result of significant gaps in the archaeological record of Cyprus, resulting from differences in the preservation of archaeological materials, bias in preservation, uncertainties associated with dating, and limited DNA evidence. ” said Australian Museum of Archaeology’s archaeologist Dr Christian Liebmeyer. Australian Biodiversity and Heritage Research Council Center of Excellence, German Institute of Archaeology, and James Cook University.

“Our research, based on more archaeological evidence and advanced modeling techniques, changes that.”

“New findings highlight the need to reconsider the question of early human migration in the Mediterranean and test the validity of the perceived early settlement dates in the light of new technologies, field survey methods and data. ‘ said Professor Bradshaw.

For this study, paper Published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

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Corey J.A. Bradshaw other. 2024. Demographic models predict the onset of the late Pleistocene and rapid expansion of pre-agropastoralism in Cyprus. PNAS 121 (21): e2318293121; doi: 10.1073/pnas.2318293121