Of Early Mediterranean Sea-Farers, Pygmy Hippo Hunters, and Early Cows: The Curious Case of the First Cypriot
In the not-too-distant past, most archaeologists believed that most of the world’s islands were not inhabited until after the introduction of food-producing Neolithic economies. In recent years, convincing evidence has emerged for far earlier Paleolithic occupations, such as Flores in Indonesia, home of the controversial “hobbit” hominins. Now, some Mediterranean islands also suggest possible pre-Homo sapiens use. The narrative of a late Neolithic-only occupation was dramatically challenged by the controversial site of Akrotiri Aetokremnos, a site which suggests that humans were instrumental in the extinction of native animals, including the pygmy hippopotamus. This presentation summarizes new investigations that have rewritten the story of how and when the Mediterranean islands were first visited and subsequently colonized.