Cave- Primitive Dwelling

The cave is the only kind of primitive dwelling which has come down to us in its original state. When we remember the enormous number of caves there are in the world, we may wonder why, especially in areas where there are limestone rocks and chalk hills, it was ever necessary for man to build dwellings at all. Even if there were no natural caves in his particular area, it would surely have been possible for him to excavate holes in the rocks, or even in the ground. Yet we find that there are surprisingly few signs of human occupation in many of the caves that are known-at least, in some parts of the world. In other parts, there are many wall paintings that must have been made by primitive men, which suggests that they used these caves, even if they did not live in them permanently.

Perhaps they were afraid of them. Caves are dark, mysterious places, and primitive man was probably superstitious and terrified of the unknown. Perhaps, also, the animals discovered the caves first. Some brave pioneer venturing into a cave on a house-hunting expedition might have seen several pairs of green eyes shining from the shadowy recesses and not unnaturally, fled.