The traditional view of stone age humans is that they were hunters and gatherers who were unable to intentionally cross large bodies of water. That view is undergoing a major overhaul as more is being learned about people of this era.

Researchers have uncovered stone tools, animal bones and other artifacts on the Mediterranean island of Malta, indicating humans were living on this island some “8,500” years ago, more than a thousand years earlier than previously assumed. 

To get to Malta, these “hunter-gatherers” would have had to cross at least 100 kilometers (60 miles) of open sea, according to a research team. “There’s this new world of Mediterranean crossings in the Mesolithic that we didn’t know about,” says archaeological scientist Eleanor Scerri of Germany.

The prevailing view about hunter-gatherers is that they weren’t sophisticated enough to be able to intentionally and routinely travel over large bodies of water. Although it is thought hominids may have arrived in Australia “40,000” years ago, that occurrence is credited to storms that drove the humans much farther across the ocean than they may have expected to go. “It doesn’t look like there was this sort of systematic coming and going,” Scerri says.

However, Malta’s Stone Age immigrants, Scerri points out, were clearly capable of making long journeys on the sea. The scientists concluded as much after studying ashes from hearths, stone tools, and animal remains bearing signs of butchering. 

Radiocarbon dating of 32 charcoal pieces and one animal bone has suggested this area was occupied some “8,500” years ago. The stone tools were similar to those used by hunter-gatherers in Europe at about the same time, thus suggesting Europe is where they came from.

Scerri believes a powerful east-west current may have driven these mariners from a point on the island of Sicily some 100 kilometers across the sea to Malta. No boat remains were found on Malta, but the researchers think five ancient canoes discovered in northern Italy may be similar to the boats used by the Malta sailors.

The people who reached Malta would have had to travel at least part of one night, indicating they had knowledge of the stars and currents. Also, there is tentative evidence of connections between ancient Mediterranean societies after DNA analysis of an “8,000-year-old” individual from Tunisia showed European hunter-gatherer ancestry.

Comments: Like many secular publications about early historical events, this article gets some things right and some things wrong. For sure, the earliest humans were very intelligent. As Answers in Genesis (AiG) points out, within one generation after creation, humans were caring for flocks and herds (Genesis 4:4), were practicing farming (Genesis 4:3), and building cities (Genesis 4:17). A few generations later they were creating musical instruments (Genesis 4:21) and working with bronze and iron (Genesis 4:22).

As for the radiocarbon dating that hints the hunter-gatherers lived 8,500 years ago, well before the creation of the world as the Bible timeline suggests, this dating method is being called into question. Science Daily writes, “But new research shows that commonly accepted radiocarbon dating standards can miss the mark -- calling into question historical timelines.”

According to AiG, the Bible describes a different story of history. After the catastrophic global flood had interrupted human civilization about 4,000 years ago, the population began to grow from the eight people who alone were saved from the flood because they were on the ark. 

But not long after the flood, civilization was interrupted again by the events at Babel that divided up humanity into various language groups. These groups traveled to different areas of the world. According to AiG, this explains why there is evidence that civilization appears to have begun at various places around the world at the same time. 

Because of the ice age following the flood, people moving north would have found a harsher world making farming difficult and necessitating the creation of a hunter-gatherer lifestyle and cave-dwelling. In time, the weather warmed up and farming and sailing became easier. 

Surely, the stone tools made by early humans cannot compare to many modern tools such as modern 3D printers. But were early inventors less intelligent than modern humans? Indeed, an early inventor who believed in God is even more intelligent than modern humans like evolutionists who can appreciate God’s creation but not give Him credit for it. 

” Indeed, since the world through its wisdom did not know God, God in his wisdom decided to save those who believe, through the foolishness of the preached message.” 1 Corinthians 1:21.

by Warren Krug

Reference: Michael Marshall, “Stone Age hunter-gatherers may have been surprisingly skilled seafarers,” Science News [April 9, 2025].

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QUESTION OF THE DAY

Is there a sea in which it is impossible for a human to drown?

Yes, the Dead Sea in the Middle East is so salty, it is impossible for a person to sink into it.

Source: Mr. P, “Salty Seas and Density,” Kids Answers [April-June, 2025], page 11.

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