Under the water discovered an ancient forest, which 10,000 years

When we hear about the discovery of the ancientsthe remains, most of us, most likely, imagine archaeological excavations during which the surviving parts of ancient animals, plants, or even humans are retrieved. However, this is not always the case. Not so long ago, a group of researchers from Poland and Lithuania in the area with the difficult to pronounce name Juodkrante (a small village with a population of just 900 people), located on the Baltic Sea, discovered a sunken ancient forest that was under water 10,000 years ago.

What is an ancient forest

According to the editors of Science in Poland, the search was initiated by scientists from the National Maritime Museum in Gdansk (Poland) together with their colleagues from the University of Klaipeda (Lithuania).

The purpose of the joint expedition of the Polish and LithuanianThe researchers had been preparing photogrammetric documentation of the finds. Scientists have made thousands of underwater photos that will be used to create three-dimensional models of extinct trees, ”the press service of the National Maritime Museum reports.

Photogrammetry is a method for determining shape,sizes, position and other characteristics of objects according to their photos. In order to recreate a single object, you need to take a few thousand shots. For example, in this case, to recreate the appearance of two trunks of ancient trees several meters long, it took about 3000 photographs. The result of the work you can see in the photo below.

How to find an ancient forest

Based on previous research dataScientists have suggested that in the Juodkrante region at the time of the end of the Ice Age there was a dense forest that was formed as a result of the retreating ice sheet. The forest has been hidden under water for many millennia. On this territory, he grew up during the last ice age.

In order to test your assumptions,scientists have scanned the seabed of the Baltic Sea and found confirmation of their hypothesis there. After that, an expedition was organized to conduct a series of underwater research. As a result, several dives were made to great depths and under the thickness of the seabed, scientists actually found “deposits” of ancient trees. The age of the plants found was estimated at 9-10 thousand years. Around this time, the Baltic Sea was just forming. Prior to this, there was a huge glacier that pushed through the crust, resulting in a pit that was filled with water after the ice melted.

This is interesting: What will happen if there is a forest the size of a continent on Earth?

According to experts, the sea area in whichthe sunken forest is located, it will help to find out new information about the ancient people who lived in the Stone Age, since this area was rather densely populated at that time. Therefore, scientists are now hoping to find traces of human presence in the ancient forest.

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