Archaeologists have completed a highly successful excavation season at Rodafnidia on the Greek island of Lesvos, uncovering a deeper layer of tools that directly links the Aegean to the early history of human civilization and migration routes out of Africa.
Professor Nena Galanidou, a renowned professor of prehistoric archaeology at the University of Crete and head of the excavation, characterized the site as: “the magical early prehistoric location with which the history of civilization in the Aegean begins and connects the Aegean with Asia and Europe.”
The Paleolithic site on Lesvos—the oldest in the Aegean
The month-and-a-half-long expedition, which concluded last week, focused on a Lower Paleolithic site already known as the oldest in the Aegean. According to Galanidou, the team achieved a critical breakthrough by reaching a new, deeper stratum.
“We managed to uncover to a large extent the deepest layer that contains remains of the first Paleolithic period, tools, fragments, cores used by prehistoric people, our ancestral species that lived in Lesvos and the northeastern Aegean between 200 and 300 thousand years ago at least,” Galanidou told the Athens-Macedonia News Agency (AMNA).
The findings from this site, located in an olive grove defined by two streams near the village of Lisvori, constitute the largest collection of tools belonging to the ancient Acheulean civilization (dating back as far as 1.7 million years ago) found in the entire northeastern Mediterranean.
These artifacts are considered “very important” for connecting early Greek archaeology with global research on human evolution.
The mystery of the Rhodaphnids
The excavation brought together a diverse international team, including undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral students, as well as scientific collaborators from Greek universities (Crete, Aegean, Patras) and foreign institutions (Pisa, Haifa, and Beijing).
Galanidou praised the team’s commitment to solving the site’s enduring mystery: “we gathered from various places to solve the mystery of the Rhodaphnids. And the result of our efforts vindicated us.”
The work is now entering the critical analysis phase. Sediments and other samples have been collected for detailed analysis and dating, with the archaeologists looking to clarify the timeline of early human activity in the region.
“We expect that the next time we return here, we will be able to proceed in greater depth with the excavation and at the same time with the knowledge that is slowly being acquired about the early way of life, the early migrations and essentially the universal history of civilization, the Paleolithic,” Galanidou stated.
Lesvos excavation to unveil additional mysteries of human migration to continue
In a unique arrangement, the deep trench was carefully prepared for its seasonal retirement to allow the landowner to resume olive cultivation. On the final day, the area was “dressed” with geotextile and a protective polystyrene block before being reburied. The excavation leader expressed deep gratitude for the local involvement, which is essential for continuing the research.
“Next fall, hopefully, we will return to uncover our archaeological excavation…with the always kind concession and cooperation of the local community, who, through the archaeological research, feel that a piece of their own heritage is being revealed and that they themselves are empowered. Themselves and the future of this place,” Galanidou concluded.
Related: Keros: Greece’s Bronze Age Island and the Lost Civilization of the Aegean
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