A remarkable archaeological discovery in a Mellieħa cave is challenging long-held beliefs about early human history in Malta and possibly the entire Mediterranean region.

Researchers have uncovered evidence that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers arrived on our islands at least 8,500 years ago; around a full millennium before the first known farmers are believed to have set foot in Malta. The find, published in Nature this April, has the potential to reshape what we know about Malta’s prehistory and early seafaring across the Mediterranean.

The site, known as Latnija Cave in northern Malta, was excavated by a joint team from the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and the University of Malta. Among the findings were hearth fragments, stone tools, and cooked food waste, including remains of animals thought to have been extinct on the islands by that time.

“We uncovered strong evidence of wild animals like Red Deer, which were believed to have disappeared from Malta well before this period,” explained lead researcher Dr Eleanor Scerri. “Alongside these, we found remains of tortoises, birds, and even now-extinct species—clearly hunted and cooked on site.”

The remains also included an impressive variety of marine life: fish, seals, sea urchins, crabs, and thousands of gastropods, painting a picture of a community well adapted to both land and sea resources.

Even more astonishing is how these early humans got to Malta in the first place. Experts estimate that they would have had to cross at least 100 km of open sea, most likely in simple dugout canoes and without sails. According to co-author Dr Nicholas Vella, the journey would have required careful navigation using sea currents, winds, landmarks, and possibly even the stars.

“Even on the longest days of the year, they would have faced several hours of complete darkness in open water,” said Dr Vella. “This shows a level of maritime skill that we previously believed only developed after the advent of farming.”

Until now, conventional thinking held that seafaring came after the development of agriculture, not before. Malta was thought to be one of the last untouched wildernesses before the farming revolution spread across Europe. This discovery, however, suggests our islands may have hosted advanced Mesolithic communities long before that wave of change.