Joint Mitnor Cave facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Joint Mitnor Cave |
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| Bone Cave | |
Entrance to the cave
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| Location | Higher Kiln Quarry, Buckfastleigh |
| OS grid | SX 7434 6644 |
| Geology | Limestone |
| Access | By permission |
Joint Mitnor Cave, also known as Bone Cave, is a special limestone cave. You can find it in a place called Higher Kiln Quarry, near Buckfastleigh in Devon, England. This quarry is no longer used. Joint Mitnor Cave is one of several caves in this area. The Pengelly Trust helps to look after it.
What Makes Joint Mitnor Cave Special?
Joint Mitnor Cave is famous for the many animal bones found inside it. These bones tell us a lot about animals that lived long ago. Scientists who study ancient life, called palaeontologists, have explored this cave many times.
Discovering Ancient Bones
The first big study of the cave happened between 1939 and 1941. During this time, explorers found over 4,000 bones from different mammals! These bones were left in the cave naturally over thousands of years. They give us clues about the ancient environment and the creatures that lived there.
Protecting the Fossils
In September 2015, some fossil bones that were on display inside the cave went missing. Even though the cave had a strong, locked steel door, someone managed to get in. To help protect these important discoveries, scientists used a cool new technology. They created copies of the missing fossils using 3D printing. These new, printed copies are now on show in the cave, helping visitors learn about its amazing past.
