Contents.
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Introduction. A. The Robin-Hood Cave. 1. The Talus.
2. The Surface-Soil. 3. The Breccia. 4. The Cave-Earth. 5. The Mottled Bed. 6. The Red Sand. 7. The Original Floor. 8. Chamber C. 9. Chambers D and E.
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10. Chamber G.
11. Terminal Fissure.
B. The Church Hole. 1. The Talus.
2. Deposits in Interior 3. The Breccia. 4. The Cave-Earth. 5. The Mottled Bed. 6. The Red Sand. 7. Chamber B.Conclusion. |
Introduction.
It will be remembered that on two previous occasions the history of the Creswell-Caves Exploration has been brought before the Society, on the latter of which the results of the work were given up to the close of 1875.
During the early part of last summer the exploration has been carried on under the auspices of a Committee, consisting of Sir J. Lubbock, M.P., F.R.S., as President, Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins, F.R.S. (Secretary), F. Longdon (Treasurer), Prof. G. Busk, F.R.S., W. Bragge, F.G.S., R. D. Darbishire, B.A., F.G.S., J. Evans, F.R.S., A. W. Franks, F.R.S., Rooke Pennington, LL.B., F.G.S., Prof. Prestwich, F.R.S., and the Rev. J. M. Mello, M.A., F.G.S. (Director and Reporter), Prof. W. Boyd Dawkins and T. Heath, F.R.H.S., being Superintendents.
It will hardly be necessary to do more by way of recapitulation than just allude to the first papers read, which have established the fact that we have at Creswell a series of highly important caves, illustrating by their contents two periods of human occupation during the Palæolithic age in Britain, when man was contemporary in Derbyshire and the adjoining district with the characteristic Pleistocene fauna. The remains of animals belonging to this fauna, in great abundance and representing a remarkably large number of species, have been found in these caves, in conjunction with quartzite and flint implements of two different types:—the one ruder than the other and underlying it, corresponding in character to the rude implements of the Lower Breccia of Kent's Hole and of the river-gravels; the upper series of implements being of a somewhat more finished type, and in general form agreeing with those assigned by M. Mortillet to the age of Solutré, and which have been found in this country in the cave-earth of Kent's Hole and in Wookey Hole[1].
It was thought advisable to carry on the exploration of the two
