Cave Hunting: Researches on the evidence of caves respecting the early inhabitants of EuropeDawkins, William Boyd
History
Cave Hunting: Researches on the evidence of caves respecting the early inhabitants of Europe
Dawkins, William Boyd
Antiquities, Prehistoric -- Europe; Caves -- Europe; Europe -- Antiquities; Prehistoric peoples -- Europe
While the refuse-heap was being explored, I chose a small depression
(Fig. 36 A) in the precipitous side of the southern ridge, that formed
a kind of rock shelter overlooking the valley, and that seemed to be
a likely place for the abode of man, or of wild animals. On setting
the men to work, in a few minutes we began to discover the remains of
dog, marten-cat, fox, badger, goat, Celtic short-horn, roe-deer and
stag, horse, and large birds. Mixed with these, as we proceeded, we
began to find human bones, between and underneath large masses of rock,
that were completely covered up with red silt and sand. As these were
cleared away, we gradually realized that we were on the threshold of
a sepulchral cave. In the small space then excavated, human remains,
belonging to no fewer than five individuals, were found. Subsequently
the work was carried on by Mrs. Lloyd, under the careful supervision
of her agent Mr. Reid. The rock-shelter narrowed into a “tunnel cave,”
that penetrated the rocks in a line parallel to the bedding, and,
roughly speaking, at right angles to the valley, having a width varying
from 3 feet 4 inches to 5 feet 6 inches, and a height from 3 feet 4
inches to 4 feet 6 inches.
The entrance was completely blocked up with red earth and loose stones,
the latter, apparently, having been placed there by design (Figs. 36,
37). The inside of the cave was filled with red earth and sand to
within about a foot of the roof. The remains were found, for the most
part, on or near the top; but in some cases they were deep down. One
human skull, for example, was found six inches only above the rocky
floor. The human bones were associated with those of the animals of
which a list has been given, and occurred in little confused heaps.
One human femur was in a perpendicular position. The account of the
continuation of the digging is given almost in the words of Mrs.
Lloyd. On the second day, after an hour’s work, a human skull was
found near the roof of the cave, resting on a femur; then eleven feet
explored brought to light a large quantity of human bones, including
nine femurs. The third and fourth days were devoted to clearing out
the cave (Fig. 36-7 B) up to this point, and to excavating about four
feet further in, or fifteen from the entrance. During the work two
teeth of a horse were found, resting on the floor near the entrance,
and nine more about ten feet within the cave; also a boar’s tusk of
remarkable size, and close by a mussel and cockle-shell, and valve
of _Mya truncata_, along with a quantity of human and other bones;
including five skulls, more or less perfect, and many fragments. All
these skulls were found between the tenth and fifteenth feet from the
entrance. During the fifth and sixth days, the work was superintended
by Mr. Reid, who entirely cleared the cave for about thirteen feet
further: the first eight feet yielded a small quantity of human and
other bones, including the perfect skull of a marten-cat and the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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