La Cotte de St Brelade, Prehistoric cave site in Saint Brelade, Jersey.
La Cotte de St Brelade is an archaeological site set within granite cliffs along the coast where a cave formation contains layered deposits spanning tens of thousands of years. Each layer tells a story of different periods and the inhabitants who left their remains and tools behind.
The cave served as a shelter for early humans during the middle stone age with evidence dating back approximately 238,000 years. This makes it one of the oldest known occupation sites in the Channel Islands region.
The site reveals how Neanderthals adapted to their coastal surroundings and organized their survival through hunting. The discovered tools and bones show their skill in processing large game and making shelter near the cliffs.
The site is best visited at low tide when the cave becomes accessible across the beach. Sturdy footwear is necessary as the terrain is rocky and uneven throughout the approach and surrounding area.
Neanderthals hunted large animals here using the cliff location as a trap, driving mammoths and woolly rhinoceros over the edge to the ground below. This coordinated hunting method required planning and teamwork among the group.
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