Cave dig hopes to find signs of modern man [ Kents Cavern, Torquay, UK ]

This is South Devon ^ | Thursday, January 29, 2009 | unattributed

[SunkenCiv]

An ultra modern search at Kents Cavern hopes to uncover clues missed by the Victorians. Two archaeologists are planning to excavate a small part of Kents Cavern, Torquay, to unravel their quest to see if modern man lived alongside Neanderthals... The dig is the first excavation at the cave in more than 80 years. A two metre by one metre trench is to be opened in the Great Chamber of the Cave, so named by Victorian archaeologist William Pengelly in the 1860s... They plan to use modern techniques of almost 150 years of improvements in archaeology to determine what conditions existed in the cave tens of thousand of years ago. They will be using 3D mapping, microscopes, and chemical analysis, as well as traditional methods of brush and trowel, to work out how sediments were deposited in the cave entrance, and what vegetable and animal remains are buried. Dr Pettitt said: "We aim to link Neanderthal extinction with the spread of modern man into Britain."

[SunkenCiv]

to repeat:

Dr Pettitt said: "We aim to link Neanderthal extinction with the spread of modern man into Britain."

and to repeat something else:

The Neandertal Enigma
by James Shreeve

Frayer's own reading of the record reveals a number of overlooked traits that clearly and specifically link the Neandertals to the Cro-Magnons. One such trait is the shape of the opening of the nerve canal in the lower jaw, a spot where dentists often give a pain-blocking injection. In many Neandertal, the upper portion of the opening is covered by a broad bony ridge, a curious feature also carried by a significant number of Cro-Magnons. But none of the alleged 'ancestors of us all' fossils from Africa have it, and it is extremely rare in modern people outside Europe." [pp 126-127]

[SunkenCiv]

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[43north]

This will be useful info. By the time the Goreacle, 0, and the other dims get through with us cave living will be the only practical alternative.

[muawiyah]

Which is why it takes extra shots ~ and I know East Asians who have that problem ~ but they're kind of special ~ there's this range of mitochondrial DNA that NO ONE ELSE HAS.

AKIHITO probably has the problem.

[poindexter]

Torquay's most famous primitive man:

[Fred Nerks]

New scan of 'Neanderthal' jawbone

The bone became known as "Kents Cavern 4". (Image: Torquay Museum)

A piece of jawbone found in a Devon cave is being re-examined by scientists who believe it may be Britain's first direct evidence of Neanderthal man. The bone was excavated from Kents Cavern in Torquay in 1927 and was thought to be about 31,000 years old.

But more research showed the Torquay Museum piece could be 40,000 years old.

[Tainan]

Quite so...but for heavens sake....Don't mention the war!"

[poindexter]

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it!