Professor Danielle Schreve

Indeed. So, Gough's Cave was a really spectacular site and probably supported a decent group of individuals for perhaps a couple of hundred years. And even though this site was dug, primarily excavated a long time ago during the Victorian period, There have been more recent excavations of remnants of the sediments that were preserved below overhangs on the side of the cave walls.

Those were carried out by colleagues from the Natural History Museum in the 1980s. One of the most astonishing things about Gough's cave is the abundance of actual human remains. So in fact, human remains generally, whether it's modern humans, whether it's Neanderthals or their forebears, are so incredibly rare in Britain.

Those were carried out by colleagues from the Natural History Museum in the 1980s. One of the most astonishing things about Gough's cave is the abundance of actual human remains. So in fact, human remains generally, whether it's modern humans, whether it's Neanderthals or their forebears, are so incredibly rare in Britain.

Those were carried out by colleagues from the Natural History Museum in the 1980s. One of the most astonishing things about Gough's cave is the abundance of actual human remains. So in fact, human remains generally, whether it's modern humans, whether it's Neanderthals or their forebears, are so incredibly rare in Britain.

And yet they make up approximately a quarter of all the material that came out of Gough's cave. And in fact, there are sort of anecdotes about, I think, 12 tea chests full of bones being removed from the cave and essentially destroyed because they were viewed as duplicates. And when you think about the amount of material that must have been lost,

And yet they make up approximately a quarter of all the material that came out of Gough's cave. And in fact, there are sort of anecdotes about, I think, 12 tea chests full of bones being removed from the cave and essentially destroyed because they were viewed as duplicates. And when you think about the amount of material that must have been lost,

And yet they make up approximately a quarter of all the material that came out of Gough's cave. And in fact, there are sort of anecdotes about, I think, 12 tea chests full of bones being removed from the cave and essentially destroyed because they were viewed as duplicates. And when you think about the amount of material that must have been lost,

So the Goff's Cave remains are very special, partly because there's good evidence of humans, but also because of the superb preservation of the material. And we can see the remains of animals, whether it's, for example, butchered horses. We see cut marks on horse teeth, on horse bones. We see exploitation of red deer. There's remains of carnivores, such as lynx.

So the Goff's Cave remains are very special, partly because there's good evidence of humans, but also because of the superb preservation of the material. And we can see the remains of animals, whether it's, for example, butchered horses. We see cut marks on horse teeth, on horse bones. We see exploitation of red deer. There's remains of carnivores, such as lynx.

So the Goff's Cave remains are very special, partly because there's good evidence of humans, but also because of the superb preservation of the material. And we can see the remains of animals, whether it's, for example, butchered horses. We see cut marks on horse teeth, on horse bones. We see exploitation of red deer. There's remains of carnivores, such as lynx.

that are present in the site and almost certainly exploited in the case of the lynx for its lovely pelt for the fur. We see exploitation of things like mountain hare and the modification of hare bones into little tools such as piercing, sort of all type tools. Really just a very sort of complete picture of what humans are doing.

that are present in the site and almost certainly exploited in the case of the lynx for its lovely pelt for the fur. We see exploitation of things like mountain hare and the modification of hare bones into little tools such as piercing, sort of all type tools. Really just a very sort of complete picture of what humans are doing.

that are present in the site and almost certainly exploited in the case of the lynx for its lovely pelt for the fur. We see exploitation of things like mountain hare and the modification of hare bones into little tools such as piercing, sort of all type tools. Really just a very sort of complete picture of what humans are doing.

And of course, one of the most notorious things there is that there is also evidence of breakage of bone for marrow extraction and butchery of the human remains themselves. So those humans are being treated in exactly the same way as any other butchered animal bone at the site.

And of course, one of the most notorious things there is that there is also evidence of breakage of bone for marrow extraction and butchery of the human remains themselves. So those humans are being treated in exactly the same way as any other butchered animal bone at the site.

And of course, one of the most notorious things there is that there is also evidence of breakage of bone for marrow extraction and butchery of the human remains themselves. So those humans are being treated in exactly the same way as any other butchered animal bone at the site.

It's Somerset, right in the Mendips. So it's partway up Cheddar Gorge. So a really well-known area that people can go and explore. And you can walk into the cave today. And it's a visitor attraction. And the Paleolithic or old Stone Age deposits are very close to the entrance of the cave, just sort of tucked away on the left-hand side as you come in.

It's Somerset, right in the Mendips. So it's partway up Cheddar Gorge. So a really well-known area that people can go and explore. And you can walk into the cave today. And it's a visitor attraction. And the Paleolithic or old Stone Age deposits are very close to the entrance of the cave, just sort of tucked away on the left-hand side as you come in.

It's Somerset, right in the Mendips. So it's partway up Cheddar Gorge. So a really well-known area that people can go and explore. And you can walk into the cave today. And it's a visitor attraction. And the Paleolithic or old Stone Age deposits are very close to the entrance of the cave, just sort of tucked away on the left-hand side as you come in.

Yes, I think just as we seem to be climbing out of the last ice age, we have a sudden reversal of conditions and a huge climatic deterioration. This is a period known as the Younger Dryas. It starts about 12,900 years ago and it finishes about 11,700 years ago. Pretty precise dates as well for Paleolithic times too. Pretty precise dates.