A major archaeological discovery has emerged on the shores of Lake Ohrid, in the village of Lin, near Pogradec.

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared a recent BBC report describing Lin as the earliest known lake-dwelling settlement ever uncovered in Europe.

According to the BBC, archaeologists believe the site may be Europe’s oldest lakeside settlement. Evidence suggests that an organized community of hunters and farmers lived there nearly 8,000 years ago.

A team of Albanian and Swiss archaeologists continues to excavate the site. They dive daily to depths of up to three meters to conduct underwater research.

“So far, experts have uncovered less than 1% of the settlement,” Rama stated. Researchers have found wooden remains, bones, ceramics, and other materials.

Experts from the University of Bern and the Albanian Institute of Archaeology estimate that the site dates from 8000 to 4000 BCE. These findings confirm Lin as the oldest known palafitte (stilt house) settlement in Europe.

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