Joint Mitnor Cave Explained

Joint Mitnor Cave
Other Name:	Bone Cave
Map:	Devon
Location:	Higher Kiln Quarry, Buckfastleigh
Grid Ref Uk:	SX 7434 6644
Geology:	Limestone
Access:	By permission

Joint Mitnor Cave, also known as Bone Cave, is a limestone cave situated in the now disused Higher Kiln Quarry near Buckfastleigh, in Devon, England. The cave is one of a number at the quarry and in the surrounding area, and is managed by the Pengelly Trust.^[1]

Palaeontology

The cave has been excavated and its animal remains examined on several occasions. The first period of excavation was in 1939–41, when over 4000 mammal bones were discovered deposited in the cave.^[2]

In September 2015, thieves broke into the cave (despite its locked steel door) and stole a number of fossil bones which were on display in their original setting.^[3] Reconstructions of the stolen fossils were later produced by 3D printing by academics and put on show in the cave in their place. The caves were later reopened by the great-grandson of the original founder, Joshua Burroughs.^{[4] [5] [6]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Caves. 2020-10-02. William Pengelly Cave Studies Trust. en-GB.
2. Book: Sutcliffe, Anthony. Joint Mitnor Cave, Buckfastleigh: A Report on Excavations Carried Out During 1939-41 by the Late AH Ogilvie. Torquay Natural History Society. 1958. Torquay.
3. News: 2015-09-23. Thieves steal 100,000-year-old elephant tooth fossil. en-GB. BBC News. 2020-10-02.
4. News: 12 August 2017. The cave with 'new' 3D printed fossils. en-GB. BBC News. 2020-10-02.
5. News: Kennedy. Maev. 2017-08-07. Making old bones: Joint Mitnor cave reopens with replica fossils. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-10-02. 0261-3077.
6. Web site: Katz. Brigit. Once Plundered by Thieves, Ancient Cave Reopens with 3-D Replicas of Stolen Fossils. 2020-10-02. Smithsonian Magazine. en.