Tests carried out by archaeologist, Dr Francis Wenban-Smith have confirmed a former chalk quarry holds vital clues about prehistoric climate and the early human occupation of the UK.
Dr Wenban-Smith has identified palaeo-environmental remains, such as ancient snail shells and bones of extinct voles, in sediment samples he excavated from Baker’s Hole, an archaeological site near Ebbsfleet International railway station in Kent.
Similar remains, still buried there, could help unlock a wealth of knowledge about the nature of the climate 250,000 to 200,000 years ago and how this affected Neanderthals colonising the area during this period.
Dr Wenban-Smith explains:
“These biological remains can tell us if the climate was warm or cold, if the land was wooded or marshy and give us general clues about the environment and local landscape the Neanderthals were living in.
“These early humans at Baker’s Hole didn’t live in caves or build shelters. They would most likely have slept in the open and had substantial body fur to keep them warm. They would have hunted game as a band, and probably had complex social structures and behaviour, including singing and dancing around the campfire.”
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