Context (Related Documents)
An additional label with these objects reads: 'Prehistoric Bones from the great cave of Ghar Dalam near Birzebugia Malta 70,000 BC. Two human teeth of the Neanderthal man were found in this Ghar Dalam cave preman cave' [These teeth are not included in the Accession Register and they do not seem to have entered the Museum's collection].
Event Date
Author: Clare McKenna

Context (Field collection)
Found: Cave site
Event Date
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
Description for Z 31540 A[.2-3]: '2 large bones ' thought to be Hippopotamus'.
Event Date
Author: maa

Context (Related Documents)
Handwritten labels with A.2[-3] read: 'Thought to be Hippopotamus bones from the cave "Ghar Dalam" Prehistoric prema at Birzebugia probably 70,000 BC before Early Stone Age Malta.' And dated 'August 1923'.
And for A.[2-]3: 'Thought to be Prehistoric Hippopotamus bones probably 7000 BC before Early Stone Age from cave "Ghar Dalam at Birzebugia Malta.'

Event Date 08/1923
Author: maa

Context (References)
Murray, Margaret. (1925). Excavations in Malta: Part II. London: B. Quaritch.
Event Date 1925
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Context (Analysis)
Other material from Ghar Dalam from Miles Burkitt was given to him by Gertrude Caton Thompson, likely from her excavations c. 1923. In her letter enclosing the pottery (archive MM1/10/37) she does not mention any bones, although it is possible that she did send them at the same time; alternatively they could come from her 1924 excavation of the same site with Dorothea Bate, or from another source entirely. Caton Thompson has therefore been tentatively added to the Source field.
Event Date 22/3/2024
Author: Imogen Gunn (admin)

Description (Physical description)
Animal bone, possibly a femur, possibly from a small Hippopotamus. Socketed with both ends.
Event Date 25/3/2024
Author: Clare McKenna