Neanderthals visited seaside cave in England for 180,000 years
"We can use the stone tools they left behind to map how they were moving through landscapes, which are now beneath the English Channel," said researcher Andy Shaw.
By Brooks Hays | Dec. 14, 2016 at 10:38 AM
A map of the island of Jersey where the prehistoric coastal cave of La Cotte de St Brelade is found. Photo by Andrew Shaw et al./Antiquity
SAINT HELIER, Jersey, Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Neanderthals may have taken vacations, or at least they liked the view from the granite cliffs of Jersey. New evidence suggests Neanderthals visited La Cotte de St Brelade, a prehistoric site on the island of Jersey, for at least 180,000 years.
Previous surveys of La Cotte de St Brelade have been limited in scope, focused mostly on concentrations of mammoth remains within the cave. The latest effort involved a wide-angle approach.
Researchers re-examined stone artifacts unearthed in the 1970s to better understand how they were made and where materials were sourced from. The survey helped archaeologists get a better sense of how visitors to La Cotte de St Brelade utilized local resources and the surrounding landscape. The analysis also revealed where Neanderthals were visiting from.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2016/12/14/Neanderthals-visited-seaside-cave-in-England-for-180000-years/5871481726702/