Anthropology

Soph0571

(9,685 posts) Thu May 30, 2019, 04:51 PM May 2019

14,000-year-old cave footprints provide snapshot of Stone Age family day out [View all]

A Stone Age family of five crawled through a narrow Italian cave 14,000 years ago because they were curious about what was inside, according to a new study. They carried makeshift torches and wooden sticks to guide them through the darkness – and may even have brought their dog in too.

Researchers analysed the ancient tracks left in a layer of clay inside a deep cave of Bàsura in the Toirano cave complex in northern Italy.

It is the first time crawling has been documented in ancient humans, according to researchers from the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Around 180 prints were made by these curious prehistoric explorers who crawled through the low cave using their hands, knees and the balls of their feet. The youngest child was probably only two years old, and would have been following two older siblings aged around six and 11.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/cave-footprints-stone-age-family-day-out-crawling-a8936656.html

How cool is that?

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14,000-year-old cave footprints provide snapshot of Stone Age family day out [View all] Soph0571 May 2019 OP

Very cool. I wonder when claustrophobia became common? Hoyt May 2019 #1

Interesting. Maybe they were not much different than the rest of us. Family day at the park. dameatball May 2019 #2

You wouldn't want this family visiting your home while you were out. Nitram May 2019 #3

The indigenous people of Kentucky mined epsom and gypsum salts from Mammoth Cave yellowdogintexas Jun 2019 #4