Joint Mitnor Cave, cave in Devon, England
Joint Mitnor Cave, also called Bone Cave, is a limestone cave in Devon, England, located in a closed quarry near Buckfastleigh that holds the remains of animals from different periods in the past. The cave contains bones of elephants, rhinos, deer, wolves, bears, and other mammals that are over 100,000 years old and fell into the cave through a natural sinkhole.
The cave was discovered in the 1930s by two young local explorers, and large-scale scientific excavations took place between 1939 and 1941, recovering about 4,000 mammal bones for study. In 2015, thieves broke in and stole some fossils, but the Natural History Museum, University of Birmingham, and the Pengelly Trust worked together to replace lost and damaged remains with 3D-printed replicas.
The cave is not easy to access and visitors need permission to enter, as it is protected for its scientific value. Guided tours are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays through late summer, and the path to the cave is somewhat rough, requiring appropriate preparation for a walk in a quiet natural setting.
After a theft in 2015, an innovative project used CT scanning and 3D printing technology to replace stolen and damaged fossils with accurate digital replicas that were cast in plaster. This collaboration between museums, universities, and local organizations shows how modern technology can protect and restore historical sites while preserving the original setting.
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