JONES: EXPLORATION OF A CAVE AT ELBOLTON. 309 
protected b}^ the sloping sides of the cave are fairly preserved. They 
are all evidently Neolithic of the long-head type. Special care was 
taken to examine the ground in the vicinity of the interments. 
There were no flints nor any instruments buried with them. The 
two skeletons that were buried near to the south wall were protected 
from falling rock by the side walls, while semi-circular fenders of large 
stones, neatly built, were placed between the bodies and the rest of 
the cave. The quantity of bones of other animals brought out of 
this angular stone deposit is very great. These bones have been 
washed and now await the assistance of those who can determine 
their character. The bones of horse, boar, bos-longifrons, red deer, 
sheep, dog or wolf, fox, badger, smaller carnivora and rodents are 
very abundant, and it is quite possible that with better knowledge of 
the remains other species could be added. All the larger bones other 
than human have been broken, many split lengthwise, most likely 
done by the cave-men to obtain the marrow. 
Charcoal with calcined bones has been found in three or four 
places, and at 18 ft. north, depth 9 ft. 6 in., evidences of an actual 
hearth is seen. Here also we found that in addition to wood fires 
they used peat. 
The fragments of pottery are of an interesting character. 
They are all Neolithic and crude, seemingly made from the clay 
found in the cave, and formed into circular vessels. All the pieces 
are coated with charcoal on the inside, and in some cases the pot has 
been blackened to the depth of a quarter of an inch. The ornamenta- 
tion is varied in a few pieces, approaching the condition, but not, I 
think, identical with pottery of the Bronze Period. In some cases we 
have straight lines cutting one another diagonally, making diamond 
patterns. In others the diagonals do not cross one another, but 
make a pretty design like the "herring bone pattern." Others are 
imprints of bone or of finger nails. Altogether we have five or six 
designs in the bits of pottery from this cave. 
The present entrance to the cave seems to have been a pot-hole 
about 20 feet in depth to the level before the excavation begun. While 
it was occupied and used by the cave-men footholds well polished by 
use show the means whereby they clambered in or out of the cave. 
