Archaeologists in Germany have found 10,500-year-old worked timbers, stone tools, and animal bones at Lake Arendsee, indicating a preserved submerged prehistoric settlement.
The discovery was made about 20 metres under the surface of Lake Arendsee in Saxony-Anhalt where underwater archaeologists have been exploring submerged prehistoric landscapes.
Researchers from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology of Saxony-Anhalt found the site during investigations in spring 2026.
Large and small pieces of worked wood, stone tools and animal bones associated with hunting are among the finds according to archaeologist Dr Marcel Weiß.
Among the most significant discoveries is a wooden post approximately 1.6 metres long that preserves clear evidence of felling and working. Archaeologists also found split wooden planks measuring up to 1.3 metres long.
Researchers suspect that the timbers may have belonged to a constructed feature, potentially even a hut. However, no building plan or other evidence has yet established that the wood formed part of a dwelling.
Likewise, describing the site as a permanent settlement remains premature. The finds demonstrate that Mesolithic people were active at the former lakeshore and were working substantial pieces of timber there, but further investigation is required to determine the nature and duration of that activity.
Around 10,500 years ago, communities in Central Europe relied on hunting, fishing and gathering rather than agriculture. Even if a structure is eventually identified at Arendsee, this would not necessarily indicate permanent occupation.
Hunter-gatherer communities could construct substantial features at camps or other locations that were occupied temporarily or revisited seasonally.
The importance of the discovery instead lies in the exceptional survival of worked wood from the Mesolithic period.
Evidence for structures from this period is often preserved only indirectly, through features such as postholes and changes in soil colour. The waterlogged environment at Arendsee has preserved the timber itself, including traces of prehistoric woodworking.
The exceptional preservation is linked to the geological history of the lake.
A salt dome beneath Arendsee has caused sections of the lakebed to gradually subside, submerging former shorelines. Sediment subsequently covered archaeological remains along these ancient shores, creating conditions capable of preserving organic material such as wood.
The lake has already produced archaeological discoveries from several periods, including Neolithic fish weirs and medieval watercraft.
Researchers are now using underwater technology to investigate the prehistoric landscape in greater detail.
A remotely operated underwater vehicle, deployed in collaboration with researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute in Ilmenau, has produced high-resolution sonar imagery of the former shoreline. The survey is helping archaeologists identify areas for future investigation and plan more targeted dives.
Further scientific analysis of the recovered wood is also planned.
Researchers hope to conduct dendrochronological analysis using the surviving tree rings, although dating such ancient wood is challenging because suitable comparative material is scarce.
The timbers are also expected to undergo magnetic resonance imaging in Halle to reveal additional information about their internal structure.
Further dives will attempt to establish the extent of the archaeological remains and determine whether the individual pieces of worked wood were connected.
For now, the evidence supports the presence of Mesolithic people at the ancient lakeshore, but not yet the existence of a permanent settlement.
Determining whether the timbers belonged to a hut, another type of structure or separate activities will be one of the central questions of future research at Lake Arendsee.
Sources : State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
