Rare Neolithic stone carvings depicting sailing ships, animals and fish have been discovered on the Aegean island of Andros (Greece).
      The carvings into the rock walls of the Strofilas Neolithic settlement, dating to between 4,500 and 3,300 BC, are the oldest of their kind in the Aegean Sea, it said in a statement. "These rock carvings are especially important, since to date the only similar pictorial representations in the Cyclades date to the early Bronze Age (2,700-2,000 BC)," the statement said.
      Among the images discovered on Andros, a leafy island east of Athens, are a five feet long composition of 17 animals such as deer and wildcats. There are also numerous depictions of ships about one foot in size. "In general the composition includes water or sea related themes," the Greek Culture Ministry said. "It is possible we have the oldest, so far, marine composition in the Aegean."

Source: Reuters/Yahoo (18 October 2001)