Hill's Gate Cave, Texas

All photos are © The Maverick Grotto and the respective photographer
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The photo above shows a small collection of bones brought out of the pit for study.  The two human jaws were studied and believed to be 2000-6000 years old.

Once the bones were discovered, cavers contacted the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.  Laurie Moseley (in photo on right) became the resident Anthropologist.  Bryan Jameson takes notes while Art Tawater looks on.

Laurie visited the site, returning the next cave trip with Bryan Jameson (helping establish a reference point) and Art Tawater in the foreground and a whole crew of screeners.  Caver Barry Williams looks on.

Laurie and Bryan begin their part of the project by doing their version of a survey and marking the site off in grids.

What happened next gave a whole new meaning to movers and shakers.  The area of interest for the cavers was away from the bone deposit. 

The Archeological volunteers screened all the dirt that had been removed from the cave to date.  They also screen as the cavers are digging it out.

Even some of the cavers get into the act.  Sharon Mastbrook trying her hand at screening.

Art Tawater and associate explain what they are doing and how they do it.

Eventually the first tailing piles are shaken, sorted and the artifacts collected.

The result of a very diligent days work.  Various flint pieces and a few animal bones were removed from the tailings.  It appeared the floor of the sinkhole had seen some small human habitation.

Eventually everything got back in order and caught and the dig resumed.  RD Milhollin removing rock from the bottom of the cave.

Even the Archeology crew got involved in the cave dig.  John Yates preparing to go in the hole after a shift of shaking and screening.