Gough's Cave
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gough's Cave is part of the Cheddar Gorge and Caves on the Mendip Hills, in Cheddar, Somerset, England. The cave is 90 metres (295 ft) deep and is 2.135 kilometres (1.33 mi) long,[1] and contains a variety of large chambers and rock formations
Gough's cave was discovered in 1890 by Richard Cox Gough.[2] Richard Cox Gough lived in Chedder in Lion House, and used to give tours around smaller caves for money.His children used to use the front part of the cave as playground He discovered Gough's cave by falling through the top while, allegedly, chasing his pet monkey.
In 2007 a carving of a mammoth, estimated to be 13,000 years old, was found in the cave.[2]
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[edit] Cheddar Man
In this cave the Cheddar Man was discovered. It is the name given to the remains of a human male found in Gough’s Cave in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, England. The remains date to approximately 7150 BCE, and it appears that he died a violent death, perhaps related to the cannibalism practiced in the area. He is Britain’s oldest complete human skeleton. The remains were discovered in 1903,[3] and currently reside in the Natural History Museum in London, with a replica in the Cheddar Man and the Cannibals museum in the gorge.
[edit] References
- ^ Mendip. UK and Ireland Cave Lengths and Depths. Retrieved on 2007-01-15.
- ^ a b Prehistoric cave carving hailed as 'one of most significant examples ever found in Britain'. Daily Mail (14 August 2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
- ^ Gough's Cave excavation. Natural History Museum. Retrieved on 2007-08-22.
