Aveline's Hole, Prehistoric cave in Burrington Combe, Somerset, England
Aveline's Hole is a limestone cave located within the Mendip Hills that stretches 68 meters in length and descends 16 meters below the ground surface. The site held the remains of over fifty individuals along with shells and fossilized ammonites.
Two local men discovered the cave in 1797 while chasing a rabbit into the hillside. Excavations later confirmed this location held Britain's oldest scientifically dated cemetery dating back 10,200 years.
The cave served as a burial ground where Mesolithic people placed their dead alongside personal objects like perforated animal teeth and red ochre powder. These practices reveal how early communities already held meaningful rituals for the deceased.
The cave is managed by the University of Bristol Spelæological Society and has periods when it remains closed to the public. Access restrictions exist mainly to protect the bat populations that hibernate in the site.
The cave contains one of Britain's largest collections of Mesolithic human bones from a single site. However, many of these valuable remains were destroyed or lost during World War II.
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