Between 8,000 and 6,000 BCE, the areas now known as the North and Baltic Seas were not submerged bodies of water but expansive plains that hosted ancient human civilizations. These thriving communities faced a dramatic transformation as the Ice Age ended, with rising sea levels submerging these low-lying regions and erasing much of their existence—though not entirely.
An ambitious research collaboration called SUBNORDICA aims to delve into these forgotten worlds. This partnership includes the University of Bradford’s Submerged Landscapes Research Centre in the U.K., the TNO Geological Survey of the Netherlands, Flanders Marine Institute, and the University of York. One focal point of their research is Doggerland, an area believed to have flourished in the North Sea region approximately 8,200 years ago.
“Twenty-thousand years ago, the global sea level was 130 metres lower than at present. With progressive global warming and sea-level rise, unique landscapes, home to human societies for millennia, disappeared,” explained Vincent Gaffney, leader of the Submerged Landscapes Research Centre, in a press statement. “We know almost nothing about the people who lived on these great plains. As Europe and the world approaches net zero, development of the coastal shelves is now a strategic priority. SUBNORDICA will use the latest technologies to explore these lands and support sustainable development.”
The tools and methods planned for this investigation include cutting-edge seabed mapping, computer simulations of lost settlements, and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. Additional methods such as seismic and acoustic surveys and borehole analysis will also be employed. Earlier this year, the University of Bradford revealed plans to analyze data from magnetometer surveys, initially gathered for environmental assessments related to future green energy projects. Researchers noted that magnetic fields could help pinpoint specific features, such as “peat-forming areas…or where erosion has occurred, for example in river channels.”
Time is a critical factor in this exploration. Thousands of years ago, sea levels were significantly lower, leaving 7.7 million square miles of land above water. Of this, about 1.16 million square miles bordered Europe’s present-day coastline. These lands provided prime locations for prehistoric settlements, offering a wealth of natural resources and fertile landscapes.
Today, much of this area comprises the coastal shelf being developed for offshore wind farms as part of global efforts to combat climate change. While these green energy initiatives are essential, they pose a challenge to scientific research, as the infrastructure could limit access to these underwater sites. Projects like SUBNORDICA are racing against time to uncover the secrets of these submerged civilizations before the opportunity is lost.
“SUBNORDICA will investigate the significance of ancient coastlines and its resources for humans. Through diving surveys in Aarhus Bay [in Denmark], we will determine how widespread coastal settlements were compared to those in the interior and determine how marine resources were exploited 9000 to 8500 years ago,” said Peter Moe Astrup, an underwater archaeologist at Denmark’s Moesgaard Museum, in a press statement. “This knowledge will then be used to target archaeological investigations in less accessible areas.”
For the nations bordering the North Sea, the battle against rising waters is a longstanding challenge. The modern fight against climate change mirrors the struggles faced by prehistoric communities who also experienced rising temperatures that ultimately doomed their civilizations. Scientists hope that studying these ancient societies will provide valuable insights into how early humans adapted—or failed to adapt—to environmental changes.
By uncovering the stories of these submerged landscapes, researchers aim to bridge the gap between past and present, contributing to both scientific knowledge and sustainable development efforts. Through SUBNORDICA, the echoes of ancient civilizations that once thrived on these plains may finally come to light.