Archaeologists in Latvia have uncovered an ancient island settlement unlike others previously documented in the region. The discovery, made during the country’s first underwater archaeological excavation, includes pottery, animal bones, and evidence of human activity dating back more than 1,000 years.
Researchers also recovered a prehistoric bone fishing spear that could be up to 11,000 years old. The weapon suggests people used the area thousands of years before the later settlement developed.
Ancient island settlement reveals unusual construction
Researchers from the Latvian Academy of Culture excavated Cepurīte Island in Lake Indzers in August 2026. Archaeologist Juris Urtāns led the investigation. Archaeologists first noted the island in 1983, when Māris Atgāzis discovered traces of an ancient settlement.
A survey in 2025 found that archaeological deposits covered the entire island, prompting further excavations. Researchers uncovered a layer of ancient settlement remains approximately half a meter (1.6 feet) thick. Divers also found pottery fragments, animal bones, and burned stones extending about 12 meters (39 feet) from the shoreline.
Latvia's first underwater archaeological excavation has uncovered an unusual ancient island settlement and a bone fishing spear that could be up to 11,000 years old.
The findings reveal evidence of human activity spanning thousands of years at Lake Indzers. pic.twitter.com/fgi8U8UKS9
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 28, 2026
Underwater excavations took place at a depth of 2.5 meters (8.2 feet). The findings suggest the settlement dates to the second half of the first millennium AD. A human thigh bone recovered during the earlier survey was radiocarbon dated to between AD 578 and 654. However, archaeologists found no evidence of wooden platforms or pile-supported buildings commonly associated with other ancient lake settlements.
Such structures have been documented at the prehistoric lakeshore settlement of Dispilio in Greece and an underwater Bronze Age village in Italy’s Lake Mezzano. Researchers believe the Latvian site may represent a previously undocumented form of island habitation in the Vidzeme region.
Prehistoric fishing spear points to earlier human activity
Among the discoveries was a bone fishing spear believed to date to the Middle or Late Mesolithic period, between approximately 9000 and 6000 BC. Archaeologists estimated its age by comparing its design with similar prehistoric tools. The spear was likely used to catch larger fish. Researchers also discovered a flint flake during the 2025 survey that may have served as a Stone Age scraper.
Urtāns cautioned that these discoveries do not necessarily indicate permanent prehistoric settlement. Ancient fishermen may have visited the lake without living on the island. In other parts of Europe, underwater archaeological research has revealed ancient island communities that depended on fishing and other resources. Researchers believe additional settlements may exist around Lake Indzers. The discoveries could also support efforts to protect Cepurīte Island as a cultural heritage site.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
