5 incredible things found in caves

Caves are fascinating in their own right. Throw in some curious artefacts and things get even more interesting. Read on to discover 5 incredible cave finds.

Over the course of 10 years, starting in 1946, the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered within 12 caves situated by the Dead Sea.

The 972 manuscripts found at Qumran were mostly made up of scrolls and fragments of scrolls.

It's thought that the scrolls date to between the first and third century BCE. They're considered to be one of the most important archaeological finds of all time, with fantastic historical, religious and linguistic significance.



2. Neanderthal stone circles

Archaeologists have been exploring Bruniquel Cave since the 1990s. After many years of searching, a dig team made a fascinating discovery some 1,000 feet from the cave entrance.

Here, archaeologists found a series of rings, constructed from almost 400 stalagmites. These rock formations were cut to the same height and carefully arranged.

This arrangement alone is reported to weigh around two tons – and it wasn't the only discovery.

Explorers also found a smaller circle, not far from the larger location. This site consisted of numerous stacks of stalagmites, all placed carefully – as if for some religious or ritualistic reason.

Spookily, there were traces of ancient fires within the circles – as well as bones.

The Bruniquel stone circles are very significant because the site dates back almost 176,000 years. This means they were likely constructed by Neanderthals – an extinct cousin of modern humans.

The carefully planned stone arrangements provided further evidence of Neanderthals' advanced reasoning skills and complex societal structures.

3. 45,000-year-old jewellery 

If there's one thing more alluring than caves, it's jewellery. We humans can't get enough of shiny things.

And bling is far from a modern obsession. Case in point: one group of cave explorers found jewellery dating back 45,000 years. Wow!

To put that into perspective, the wheel is thought to have been invented in the fourth millennium BC – some 40,000 years later. Clearly, early humans had their priorities in order.

The jewellery, a curious green bracelet, was discovered in Siberia's Denisova cave in 2008.

Since the initial discovery, archaeologists have gone on to unearth a marble bracelet, a marble ring and pins that have been sculpted using sharpened marmot bones.

4. The largest crystal in the world

Hidden away almost 1,000 feet below Peru's Chihuahuan Desert and the Nacia Mountain is a cavern that's home to some of the world's largest crystals.

The cavern was discovered in the 2000s by a group of miners who were excavating a tunnel.

Apparently, some of the crystals measured up to 36 feet long!

5. A wolverine skull 

In 1980, explorers at Stump Cross Caverns found something very curious indeed: a wolverine skull.

It might sound a little out of place – but many thousands of years ago, wolverines roamed the Yorkshire Dales just as squirrels and otters do today.

How did the skull get there? Well, the wolverine didn't enter the cave by choice – that's for sure. Its remains are believed to have washed underground at some point during the last ice age.

Today, a replica of the skull takes pride of place in our visitors centre. Not only did the discovery add to our knowledge of Yorkshire history, but it's also the "jewel in the crown" of Stump Cross's own 300-million-year backstory.

The skull isn't the only grisly find at Stump Cross. Other remains have been found as recently as 2011.

Conclusion

We truly believe that for thousands of years to come, humans will continue to be baffled, intrigued and enchanted by discoveries within our caves and caverns – and we don't blame them!

Without these magical and mysterious finds, our understanding of those before us wouldn't be what it is today.  That's why we're so grateful to those who dedicate their lives and free time to unearthing our planet's past.

Fancy exploring caves and caverns filled with thousands of years of history? Here at Stump Cross Caverns, we promise to "wow" you with our history, entice you with our tours and have you planning a fossil-hunting trip quicker than you can say "wolverine".

With 300 million years of history at your fingertips, prepare to be taken on a magical journey through our caverns and caves. You can book your tickets online in just a few clicks.