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Although Malta and Gozo were colonized by farmers during
the earlier phases of the spread of agriculture in the
Mediterranean, the phenomenon of island colonization throughout
the world falls relatively late in the history of human
evolution. In fact, there is in general very little evidence
for the permanent occupation of islands before the beginning
of the Holocene.
The prehistoric colonization of Mediterranean islands
followed distinct patterns and trends. Larger islands
such as Sicily, Sardinia and Crete, were colonized first,
followed by smaller ones such as the Balearics, Malta
and others.
Remoteness and geographic location also conditioned island
colonization, as visual contact from one landfall to another
was a critical factor of successful navigation. Island
clusters and archipelagos were in turn important for the
further spread of colonization because they allowed links
to be established across wide spans of the sea.
By their very nature, islands present human beings with
a number of difficulties that are quite different from
those experienced on large continental land masses. During
post-glacial prehistory, when land was fast becoming a
critical resource for hunter-gatherers following the extensive
rise in sea levels, the naturally smaller areas of the
Maltese islands may have discouraged permanent occupation.
Limited land surface meant highly confined hunting territories
and, therefore, much less lucrative food resources that
would have sustained a comfortable life style. For hunter
gatherers, seasonal or occasional visits to islands such
as the Maltese archipelago may have been more feasible.
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