After looking at the proud to be British thread, I thought I would start a discussion about how interesting Britains ancient, ancient history is via an exhibition I went to about a month ago. It was at londons natural History Museum. I would recommend it for people that are curious about human evolution, patriotic, and more importantly, local to kent, which probably about 70/80% lifers are. I will explain the kent thing in the thread.
You would probably not associate animals native to africa such as hippos, Lions, living by our river themes, and roaming around what we know today as trafalguar square, but thats basically the outline and most intruiging part of Britains history, well for me it was.
I have limited info here as the basic timeline of events is a bit hazy now ive forgotton it, but will research more into it when im bored at work in a few hours. I know we had a rapid decline in temperature in the north part of britain which wiped out evidence of our ancestors and any form of life. The amazing thing is, that Britains most evidently historical part of bones and fossils, featuring the DNA of our ancestors and other animals is in Crayford and Swanscombe! Basically, Sainsburys car park would have been a savannah, with Lions swinging on trees etc. (thats not quite factual of course)
One of our great ancesters, the Homo heidelbergensis, were pyscically very powerful and hunted animals such as tigers and bears, obviously almost similar to how wolves did it, in packs. They made tools to killl with (physical evidence), which intesretingly looked and felt rather blunt and useless. Hand-axes, they are called.
Neanderthals are heavily featured in the exhibition too.
Anyway, before I trail off, go and see the exhibition, its only a tenner and think its running till september. Found it eye openeing and interesting. There is alot more to britain that first thought and much more to learn then what I have said.
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Interesting... plus the odd laugh.