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23,000 years ago, towards the end of the Old Stone Age, also known as the upper Paleolithic, the weather in Europe and in many parts of the world took a turn for the worse. Temperatures plummeted, rain levels fell and a massive ice sheet slowly advanced to cover most of northern Europe and stay there for the next few thousand years. We know that during this glacial period, many animal and plant species sought shelter in Europe’s three warmer southern peninsulas, Iberia, Italy, and the Balkans. But the question is, where did the people go? Archeological material recovered from this time period has shown that a large number of our ancestors retreated to Franco Cantabria, an area covering the southwest of France and the northeastern tip of Spain. But was this the only area where people traveled to escape the worst of the weather? Let’s go back to the growing ice sheet. In order to grow, the ice mass had to take up water, causing sea levels to fall. At its maximum when the ice reached as far south as Germany, sea levels were up to 120 meters lower than today. That’s approximately the same height as the London Eye. As a result, areas of the shallow sea became exposed and Europe’s shape was very different from the one we recognized. It could be that humans lived on these exposed shores during the Paleolithic, but we have no evidence of their settlements because it’s now we’re underwater.

Approximately 23,000 years ago, the Old Stone Age experienced a severe climate downturn, leading to advancing ice sheets in northern Europe. Many animals and plants retreated to southern peninsulas. Archeological findings indicate that a significant number of humans moved to Franco-Cantabria in southwest France and northeastern Spain. However, submerged regions could also harbor undiscovered human settlements due to lower sea levels at the time.