Malta's Underwater "Cart Tracks": Rewriting Prehistory?

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In summary, The conversation discusses the topic of floods and its impact on human civilization. The mention of cart tracks in Malta that may date back thousands of years ago raises the possibility of a massive flood event in prehistory. However, there are differing opinions on the cause of the submergence of these cart tracks, with some suggesting gradual sea level rise and others suggesting local catastrophes such as tsunamis. There is also mention of other potential events that could have contributed to the submergence of the cart tracks.
  • #1
wolram
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Andre, mentioned floods in another thread, my interest has been kindled by a
program on tv about Malta and under water ,"cart tracks", that may date
human civilization 1000s of years older than is previously thought, giving
some weight to a massive flood event in pre history, what are your thoughts ?
 
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  • #2
you mean like the biblical Red Sea stuff? or other events?
 
  • #3
we had an ice age
once the ice melted about 10 k years ago
the sea level came up 400 or so feet

don't know about carts that far back
 
  • #4
ray b said:
we had an ice age
once the ice melted about 10 k years ago
the sea level came up 400 or so feet

don't know about carts that far back

I should have said ruts or parallel indentation resembling cart tracks, there
are several on Malta, some under water, if the last major flood was 10k yrs
ago then these ruts must have been made well before the date given for the
ancient construction on the island.
 
  • #5
Any "massive flood event" would most likely bury or destroy cart tracks in soft sediment.

Can you provide a link to any information on these ruts?
 
  • #6
Amice, Sorry to be late to appear in your thread. The cart tracks could be interesting as could be the Cuban city.. However sea level rises may have been gradual (or not) and the flooding stories may have other roots.

About those megafloods, a sensitive favorite creationism hobby since there were many many flood stories from around the world, so the creationistic great flood seem to get a little support indeed.

But it's no evidence at all for a simultaneous world flood. That simply could not and has not happened. Instead there were numerous local catastrophes, tsunamis, perhaps catastrophic ice dam breaches in North America, the Lake Missoula floodings and perhaps the http://cgrg.geog.uvic.ca/abstracts/ClarkePaleohydraulicsDuring.html [Broken] apart from the http://www.nationalgeographic.com/blacksea/ax/frame.html.

However it could also have been massive Storegga slide tsunamis or prolongued dramatic increase in rainfall as is shown in the ice cores.
 
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  • #7
  • #8
The story of why the cart-ruts today lie underwater is explained by Malta’s geology. During the last five millenia, the eastern shores have subsided by about 1.5 metres, so the sunken cart-ruts once rested on dry land.
http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2001/1028/opinion.html [Broken]
 
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  • #9
Ah, so simple, thanks guys.
 
  • #10
I double checked with my sedimentology teacher who has done a lot of work in Malta and knows the area well. He tells me that to the best of his knowledge Malta is not subsiding. He's reasonably familiar with the cart ruts, and says that sea level rise within the last 2000 years accounts for their submergence.
 

1. What are Malta's Underwater "Cart Tracks"?

Malta's Underwater "Cart Tracks" are a series of parallel grooves found on the seafloor around the islands of Malta and Gozo. They are believed to be ancient man-made structures that were created during the Neolithic period, possibly as early as 4000 BCE.

2. How were the "Cart Tracks" created?

The exact method of creation is still unknown, but it is believed that the tracks were made by dragging a heavy object, such as a sled or cart, over soft limestone rocks. Over time, the constant movement and weight of the object created the parallel grooves that we see today.

3. What significance do the "Cart Tracks" hold?

The "Cart Tracks" hold great significance as they provide evidence of prehistoric human activity on the islands of Malta and Gozo. They also challenge the conventional belief that the prehistoric people of Malta were not advanced enough to use wheeled vehicles.

4. How were the "Cart Tracks" discovered?

The "Cart Tracks" were first discovered in the 1960s by a Maltese diving club. They were initially thought to be natural formations, but further exploration and research revealed their man-made origins.

5. What is the controversy surrounding the "Cart Tracks"?

The controversy surrounding the "Cart Tracks" stems from the fact that they challenge the current understanding of prehistory in Malta. Some experts argue that the tracks were created by natural processes, while others believe that they are evidence of a more advanced civilization that existed on the islands thousands of years ago.

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