Oldbury rock shelters, Archaeological rock shelter site in Ightham, Kent, England.
Oldbury is an archaeological site with natural rock shelters and caves along the slopes of Oldbury Hill in Kent. These overhangs and protected spaces formed through natural erosion and provide insight into past human habitation.
People inhabited these rock shelters roughly 50,000 years ago during the Mousterian period. Excavations uncovered numerous flint blades and special handaxes that show evidence of this early occupation.
The site holds evidence of how early humans worked with stone, shown by tools and waste pieces left behind from making implements. Visitors can see traces of daily life from people who sheltered in these rock formations.
Access to the shelters follows marked paths through wooded areas, with GPS coordinates helpful for accurate navigation. Visitors should wear weather-appropriate clothing and be prepared for uneven ground.
The rock shelters formed naturally when softer sandstone eroded away from underneath harder greenstone rocks. This process created spaces large enough for people to inhabit thousands of years ago.
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