l62 ON RAINS CAVE, LONGCLIFFE, DERBYSHIRE. 



which the cave was used as a sepulchre. The few bodies that 

 were then buried were laid in shallow graves — mere depressions, 

 in fact, reaching as a rule to the above-mentioned Refuse Layer. 

 This brought about a curious commingling of human and animal 

 bones, which at first sight suggested cannibalism lylbid., page 244). 

 After another uneventful interval the cave was very briefly used 

 again as a dwelling. Although the relics of this occupancy were 

 very slight, they furnished fair evidence that one of the tenants 

 was a fiint-knapper {Ibid., page 248). 



Yet another pause, at the end of which the cave was again used 

 as a cemetery. Some, at least, of the new corpses were laid in 

 graves deep enough to reach the Refuse Layer ; and in digging 

 these graves the bones and other objects of both sepulchral 

 periods were jumbled together with those of that stratum, and of 

 that of the fiint-knapper, which, of course, was cut through in the 

 process. 



From this time until the Rainses commenced their operations 

 m 1888, the floor does not appear to have been disturbed, 

 consequently, the contents of the layer that accumulated in the 

 interim had, in the aggregate, a character peculiarly their own 

 {Ibid., page 247). During this stretch of time the cave was not 

 put to any lengthy definite use by man, probably not more than 

 as a shelter in storms during hunting expeditions, or as a hiding- 

 place in times of danger. 



THE HUMAN REMAINS. 



The human bones were by no means evenly distributed. Dur- 

 ing the excavation of 1888, a very large number were found. These 

 were mostly in the right hand region of the cave, and, of course, 

 at no great depth. Among them, were the fragments of at least 

 six different skeletons, there being lower jaws, entire or in part, 

 for that number. The positions and circumstances of these 

 remains were not noted, but there are clear proofs that some of 

 them related to interments of the earlier sepulchral period : how 

 they came to be where they were, will be explained shortly. 



Of the many human remains brought to light during the 



