Traveller's Rest Pit facts for kids
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
 |
|
| Area of Search | Cambridgeshire |
|---|---|
| Interest | Geological |
| Area | 2.2 hectares |
| Notification | 1983 |
| Location map | Magic Map |
Traveller's Rest Pit is a special place in Cambridgeshire, England. It's a 2.2 hectare area on the edge of Cambridge. This site is important for understanding Earth's past. It's known as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its unique geology.
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What Makes Traveller's Rest Pit Special?
This site is a treasure trove of information about the Anglian ice age. This was a time when much of Britain was covered in ice. It happened about 450,000 years ago. Experts like Natural England say it's a very important place.
Clues from the Ice Age
Scientists have found clues here that tell us about the climate. They found ice wedges. These are cracks in the ground that filled with ice. They show that the area had permafrost for a long time. Permafrost is ground that stays frozen all year round.
Ancient Life and Tools
The site also gives us hints about ancient life. Scientists found shells from non-marine molluscs. They also found bones from large animals. These findings suggest the area was an open landscape. It was not covered by thick forests.
Traveller's Rest Pit is also famous for its stone tools. It has the biggest collection of these tools in Cambridgeshire. These tools are very old. They are from the Cromerian Stage, which was before the Anglian ice age.
Types of Stone Tools Found
The stone tools found here are of different types. They include:
- Chellean tools
- Acheulian tools
- Early Levalloisian tools
- Clactonian tools
These tools help us learn about early humans. They show how people lived and made things long ago.
Visiting Traveller's Rest Pit Today
Sadly, the Traveller's Rest Pit has been filled in. You cannot visit the original site directly. Part of it is now under playing fields in an area called Eddington. The rest is private land. This means there is no public access to the site itself.
