The skull of Britain’s earliest Neanderthal and the oldest wooden spear in the world will go on show at the Natural History Museum in an exhibition featuring finds from famous archaeological soils across the country which reveal life in Britain a million years ago.
Dozens of institutions have teamed up for Britain: One Million Years of the Human Story, a survey of the tools and animal bones rife in river deposits and caves. Following 12 years of research, a team of 50 archaeologists, palaeontologists and geologists aim to illustrate how the objects left behind can tell us as much as rare human fossils.
Rhinos and giant deer are among the species representing the fearsome creatures once chased by early hunters, animated by incisive scientific techniques and life-size models.
Professor Chris Stringer, of the museum, predicted visitors would be “surprised” by the subterranean “hidden histories” lying in wait.
“The story behind the humans who inhabited ancient Britain has taken us more than a decade to piece together,” he said.
“This gives us an exciting glimpse into our past, which also leads us to reflect on our future.”
- Opens February 13 2014.