Ancient mariner tools found off Cyprus 10,000 years?

AKAMAS, Cyprus (AP) - Archeologists excavating the seabed off Cyprus have discovered the tools of ancient mariners, which they believe were used by foragers more than 10,000 years ago, before the island had permanent settlements.

The underwater discovery of what archeologists said were the oldest materials recovered off the island's coast could shed fresh light on the early history of Cyprus and Mediterranean seafaring.

Earlier this month, divers located the pre-Neolithic finds - chipped stone tools and ground stone implements - in several areas off the western coast, near Aspros, an archeological site discovered in 2004.

The most significant finds were located in water about 10 metres deep and about 100 metres offshore.