Kents Cavern is in Devon. There is evidence that three species of human or human-like people used the caves during the Paleolithic; Homo Heidelbergensis, Neanderthals, and Homo Sapiens (early modern man). This makes Kents Cavern unique in the world.
On arrival we looked at the small exhibition and did some pretend excavating.
We then followed the woodland trail. HB completed a challenge sheet, discovering information about Paleolithic man...
and the animals he hunted.
It was then time for our tour of the caves.
The earliest settlers probably came there about 350,000 years ago. 30,000 years ago the first modern humans arrived, using the caves as temporary shelter during hunting trips. The area continued to be settled by Homo Sapiens right through the prehistoric period.
Our tour guide lit shell and oil lamps to show how the Neanderthals would have lit the space. They actually produced a surprising amount of light.
We were told about Victorian excavations of the caves...
and the animal remains found here.
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