According to the British newspaper The Guardian, archaeologists from the village of Shepherd, under construction in the suburbs of Devon, England, have discovered a “macabre” that roamed Devon about 30,000 to 60,000 years ago. The truth is that more than 200 bone fragments that have been carefully removed from the excavations have been discovered and will be examined so that life in Ice Age Britain can be reconstructed.
Samples taken from the shipyard include part remains of a woolly mammoth (coated with wool), an ivory, a molar tooth, and other bones; There are remains of a woolly rhinoceros, including an incomplete skull and lower jaw. Partial remains of hyena, horse, reindeer, mountain rabbit and red fox were also collected. In addition, there were bones of small mammals, such as bats and shrews, as well as rats.
So far, researchers are not sure whether these species existed together in the same physical and temporal space. Despite this, there is a theory that some species “fell into a pit and their carcasses may have attracted others affected by the same trap or hole.” On the other hand, another suggests that the bones may have been dragged into the same zone over time.
According to archaeologists, understanding existing mammals, especially plant species, “provides an insight into the flora that may have existed at the time.”
Duncan Wilson, chief executive of Historical England, called the discovery “exceptional.” “The discovery of this partial remains of a variety of species in Devon gives us a better understanding of the animal world that roamed the British Ice Age thousands of years ago, as well as a better understanding of the environment and climate at the time.” , He explained.
In a process organized by the “Shefford Federation in association with Taylor Wimpe and Wistry Partnerships”, animal bones are now under academic analysis and protection.
