- December 6, 2025
- 3:33 am
- Israel
Atlit Yam is located 10 meters underwater off the coast of the city of Atlit near Haifa. These remains of a vast coastal settlement from the Neolithic era tell the story of a once-thriving community that existed almost 9000 years ago.
It was believed that at the beginning of the Holocene, the Atlit Yam community settled in this place more than 8000 years ago. Although it is completely submerged at present, during the settlement, this place was much higher than the current sea level and boasted very fertile lands intended for agriculture – writes IFL Science.
Discovered by marine archaeologist Dr. Ehud Galili in 1984, this site has since been excavated to glimpse into the lives of the people who once lived there.
On a large area of 40,000 square meters, marine archaeologists found houses, wells, and even graves. It is believed that along with the bones of domesticated sheep, pigs, and dogs, large rectangular stone structures, still standing under the waves, were used as animal pens or as enclosures for separating cultivated fields.
In this area and its surroundings, 65 human skeletons were found, most of which are in single graves, and some remain relatively intact. Also, the remains of a mother and child were discovered at the site, revealing the earliest known cases of tuberculosis. Fragments of human bones, as well as animal remains and stone tools, were found at the bottom of a 5.5-meter well dug by the village residents.
In the center of the settlement stand seven large stone monoliths surrounding a freshwater spring. It is believed that this structure served as a site for water rituals.
Who needs Atlantis when you have Atlit Yam?
Arrowheads, sickles, spearheads, and knives, as well as large accumulations of flint, were excavated in this area. It was found that one flint collection consists of 8755 flint artifacts. Interestingly, the specific material found at this site appears to have been discovered more than 10 kilometers away from Mount Carmel.
It seemed to have been occupied for a short time, but there were speculations as to why this area was abandoned. Some suggest that rising sea levels may have led to the village being abandoned, while other theories point to the consequences of a tsunami.
The tsunami theory is supported by what appears to be abandoned remains of large piles of fish at the site. These valuable goods were not intentionally left, so their existence suggests that the village may have met a much harsher fate.
In the region surrounding the Carmel coast, there are 17 submerged prehistoric sites, ranging from the pre-ceramic Neolithic period of Atlit Yam to the ceramic Neolithic sites dating from 8000 to 6500 years ago. Excavations of this area by marine archaeologists began in 1960, and since then, the rich heritage of the land underwater continues to enrich our knowledge of the life of Neolithic settlements.
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Who needs Atlantis when you have Atlit Yam?
Who needs Atlantis when you have Atlit Yam? – source IFL Science.
