Scientists discover a terrestrial bridge lost to Europe

An “emotional and inspiring” archaeological discovery of Paleolithic tools revealed a long -lost prehistoric passage which could have enabled a movement between Ayvalık and Europe.

The continuous land stretches, now under the sea, may have once allowed the first humans to move between what is now Türkiye and Europe, according to revolutionary research in a region which has remained largely not examined.

The results, published on September 19, 2025 in the peer evaluated Journal of Island and Coastal ArchaeologyDocument the first proof of a Paleolithic presence in Ayvalık. More importantly, they can reshape our understanding of how humans have entered Europe.

For decades, the dominant opinion was that Homo Sapiens reached the continent mainly through the Balkans and the Levant, traveling from Africa to the Middle East.

However, the recent discovery of 138 stone tools on 10 sites extending over 200 km² suggests a different possibility: long before Ayvalık was known for its olive trees and coastal landscapes, its northeast coastline of the aegis can have provided an alternative route for humans adapting to a prehistoric exchange world.

“Our archaeological discovery has revealed that this now idyllic region once offered a vital terrestrial bridge for the human movement at the time of the Pleistocene – when sea level fell and the now submerged landscape was briefly exposed” in the country.

“We are very excited and delighted with this discovery. These results mark Ayvalık as a new potential border in the history of human evolution, by placing it firmly on the map of human prehistory – opening a new possibility on the way in which the first humans can have entered Europe.

“It looks like we add an entirely new page to the history of human dispersion. Our research lifts fascinating possibilities for future exploration, and we hope that it will appear as a set of works that will move the approach to the archeology of the Pleistocene for decades to come. ”

How were these results possible?

During the ice age, sea level was more than 100 meters below than today, revealing large sections of land which are now overwhelmed. During this period, the modern Ayvalık Peninsulas and Peninsulas were connected as part of a single land mass, creating a natural corridor between Anatolia and Europe.

The newly discovered tools are along the current coast, offering direct evidence of people living and traveling through these landscapes which later disappeared under the sea.

Until now, factors such as environmental changes and the depth at which the remains are buried have made it difficult to identify and preserve archaeological evidence in the Ayvalık region.

“At all these periods, the current islands and the Ayvalık peninsulas would have formed interior zones in a vast terrestrial environment,” said co-author, Professor Kadriye Özçelik, of the University of Ankara.

“These paleogeographic reconstructions underline the importance of the region to understand the dispersions of hominins across the northeast of the quench in the Pleistocene.”

What was found?

The changing geology of the region and the active coasts in the north of the Entreale has made conservation difficult and the number of articles uncovered “Limited”. However, this research team managed to discover Levallois technologies from various Paleolithic periods, as well as the Handax and the Climate.
Among the most important discoveries are Levallois style flakes tools, sophisticated tools linked to the Mousterian tradition of the Middle Paleolithic – these are often associated with Neanderthals and Early Homosapians.
“These great cutting tools are among the most emblematic artefacts in the Paleolithic and are instantly recognizable today, the same goes for a very important discovery,” explains Dr. Karahan.
“The presence of these objects in Ayvalık is particularly important because they provide direct proof that the region was part of wider technological traditions shared through Africa, Asia and Europe.”

Describing the initial discovery of the 131 elements, Dr. Karahan adds: “It was a really unforgettable moment for us. Holding the first tools in our hands was both emotional and inspiring.

“And each discovery from there was a moment of excitement for the whole team.

“Taking these objects – after walking through landscapes where no one had ever documented paleolithic remains – was unforgettable.”

What does this discovery tell us about the first humans?

The key argument of experts is based on Ayvalık’s potential as a dynamic site for interaction and exchange, facilitating the early human movement between the Anatolia and Europe peninsula.

Explore how Anatolia, with a specific accent on Ayvalık, and Europe was linked during low-sea levels at sea level offers alternative ways for the way in which the first humans moved to the region beyond the ways centered on the north of the continent.

Addressing a gap in the scholarship, the work of the authors provides a new basis to examine the resources and migration routes in which Ayvalık may have appeared in the context of a mobility corridor.

The performance of the survey on tools demonstrates a “coherent use of Levallois technology and the production of flakes … and a diversified toolbox”, while all artifacts offer together what the state of the team is “precious information on early human presence, preferences of raw materials and technological variability”.

“The results paint a living table of early human adaptation, innovation and mobility along the Aegean Sea,” explains Dr. Karahan.

“The results have confirmed that Ayvalık – which had never been studied before for its Paleolithic potential – contains vital traces of early human activity.”

Incredible wirers, hundreds of thousands of years later

As it was an investigation (carried out over a period of two weeks in June 2022) rather than a search, the team could not be a certain thing of what they would find when they leave. They knew about the geology and paleogeography of the region that there was potential. They explored – often muddy (especially in plains and coastal plains) – on foot.

What followed was a “discovery of such a diverse and well -preserved set of artefacts, which exceeded our expectations,” explains Dr. Karahan.

Although these recovery efforts were not without challenges, the authors explore what the challenges and the results reveal in the document.

They say: “The widespread muddy coverage was considered a limiting factor for the preservation and detectability of Paleolithic materials.

“However, despite these constraints, high -quality raw material sources, such as flint and calcédonia, have been identified in several places, including the areas affected by the alluvial deposit.”

Future potential

Author Dr. Hande Bulut, of the University of Düzce, adds: “In the end, the results underline the potential of Ayvalık as a long -term hominin habitat and a key area to understand the Paleolithic technological characteristics in the Eastern Estéen.

“Although preliminary, the current results underline the potential of the region to contribute to broader debates on Aegean connectivity and technological evolution during the Pleistocene.

“In a fascinating way, the region between the northern Aegean and the Anatolian continent can still have precious clues on early occupation despite the challenges posed by active geomorphological processes.”

The team recommends that future research uses a multidisciplinary approach to describe absolute dating, stratigraphic excavation and paleoenvironmental reconstruction, which they describe as “essential to clarify the temporal depth and the functional character of Ayvalı assembly”.

Reference: “Discover the Paleolithic Ayvalık: a strategic crossroads in the first human dispersions between Anatolia and Europe” by Haine Bulut, Göknur Karahan and Kadriye Özçelik, September 17, 2025, Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology.
DOI: 10.1080 / 15564894.2025.2542777

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