Researchers Mapped Submerged Sicily-Malta Land Bridge
A scientific expedition recently charted a 90-kilometer land bridge that connected Sicily and Malta 13,000 years ago.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Geography
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The BRIDGES research campaign concluded in September 2026 after mapping a vast, submerged land bridge between Sicily and Malta. Located more than 100 meters underwater, the terrain provides new insights into ancient migration and climate patterns.
Why it matters
By identifying prehistoric habitats and potential migration routes, this project offers critical data for understanding how rising sea levels reshaped human and animal settlements in the Mediterranean.
The research team used high-resolution multibeam sonar to map the 90-kilometer bridge at a depth exceeding 100 meters. They also extracted 10-meter sediment cores to analyze ancient fossil and climate records.
The players
Gaia Blu
This is a specialized research vessel utilized to conduct high-resolution seafloor mapping and sediment collection in the Mediterranean.
The details
Using the research vessel Gaia Blu, scientists utilized seismic sensors and gravity corers to reveal a landscape featuring basins, reefs, and lagoons. The data confirms that 13,000 years ago, when sea levels were 120 meters lower, this region formed a continuous land connection.
Timeline
Sicily was inhabited 16,000 years ago.
A land bridge connected Sicily and Malta 13,000 years ago.
Humans arrived in Malta approximately 8,900 years ago.
Malta became permanently populated 6,000 years ago.
The BRIDGES research campaign concluded in September 2026.
Deeper Dive
This study of the Sicily-Malta land bridge follows the established research precedent of Doggerland, which was similarly submerged by rising post-glacial seas. The discovery refines our understanding of how these geological shifts dictated the timeline of human settlement in isolated regions.
While the expedition is retrospective, the geological data helps scientists better predict how climate-driven sea level changes affect future coastal geography. This could eventually improve accuracy in long-term models regarding environmental shifts and land loss in low-lying areas.
The takeaway
The discovery underscores the reality that many current islands were once part of vast, connected continental landmasses. Understanding these ancient geographical links is essential for reconstructing the history of human migration and species distribution.
What happens next
The research team expects to spend months analyzing the expedition findings and is currently seeking additional funding to map the remaining half of the submerged land bridge using autonomous underwater vehicles.
Further reading
Learn more about the study of ancient landscapes by visiting the Geography section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Science.
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