| RefNo | MS/222/48 |
| Level | Item |
| Title | Forty-third report of progress of excavations by William Pengelly and Edward Vivian, Torquay, to the British Association Kent's Cavern Committee |
| Creator | Pengelly; William (1812-1894); geologist |
| Vivian; Edward (1808–1893); science writer; poet |
| Date | 8 March 1869 |
| Description | Monthly report of the superintendents of excavation. The concern from the last report that water from the lake would burst through holes that the workmen produce has been realised on 2 February 1869. The water ran into a depression in the eastern end of the South-West Chamber. On 4 February, the workmen began 'to remove the materials lodged in the lake', where it was discovered a fine layer of mud covered a large amount of 'limy matter'.
The following are highlights from a list labelled, 'Inventory of Objects found in the Lake, Kent's Cavern': 1. 'Fragment of a young mammoth's jaw, containing one molar' and described as 'the best specimen of its kind'; 2. Molar of horse; 5. wooden candlesticks; 6. pieces of candles; 8. a 'Pecten shell', 'which appears to have been used to hold some sort of [flint]'; 10. a wooden spatula; 11. a 'wooden tally, having the initials WR cut on it'; 13. portion of an iron chain with 24 links; 16. a small iron hammer; 22. fragments of china and earthenware; 26. wooden ink bottle; and 27. pebbles. There are 27 entries in total. There is confusion for certain items as to why and how they got there.
The floor of the lake is described briefly: 1. The bottom of the lake is the old stalagmite floor, formed on top of the '"Rock-like Breccia"'; 2. On the stalagmite floor, there is a small amount of cave-earth, containing remains of mammoth; 3. On this was formed a thin floor of stalagmite found in every branch of the Cavern; 4. This upper floor, being bound by two walls of limestone, and a 'huge accumulation of stalagmite at each end' became the bottom of the basin. There are several hypothesis detailed on how the lake - or basin - came to be, and they hope to return to this question in a future report.
With the excavation of the lake completed, they returned to labour underneath the lake. The deposit is the rock-like breccia, and any bones found are bear. |
| Extent | 5p |
| Format | Manuscript |
| AccessStatus | Open |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA2162 | Pengelly; William (1812 - 1894); geologist | 1812 - 1894 |