The Devil's Tower was an ancient watchtower in the

British Overseas Territory The British Overseas Territories (BOTs), also known as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs), are fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom. They are the last remna ...

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

close to a

rock shelter A rock shelter (also rockhouse, crepuscular cave, bluff shelter, or abri) is a shallow cave-like opening at the base of a bluff or cliff. In contrast to solutional caves (karst), which are often many miles long, rock shelters are almost alway ...

where fossil remains of a Neanderthal child were discovered, together with palaeolithic tools. The Tower and remains, however, were unrelated.

Construction

The tower was constructed in limestone. It was demolished in 1940 during World War II on the orders of Governor General Sir Noel Mason-Macfarlane on the grounds that it was in the line of fire of one of Gibraltar's many guns.

Devil's Tower skull

The Devil's Tower skull was that of a Neanderthal child. The remains were excavated by Dorothy Garrod in a Mousterian shelter on the site.Garrod ''et al.'', 1928 There is evidence of an injury to the mouth, and the teeth show developmental disorders consistent with seasonal starvation. The classic Neanderthal large brain case is evident and the brow ridges have started to develop. The skull substantially reinforced the evidence of the

Neanderthals of Gibraltar The Neanderthals in Gibraltar were among the first to be discovered by modern scientists and have been among the most well studied of their species according to a number of extinction studies which emphasize regional differences, usually claiming ...

. Most of the lower jaw has survived, along with the frontal bone, most of the right side of the face and the left parietal bone.

Eponymy

The tower gave its name to the Devil's Tower Camp, the

Devils Tower Emplacement A devil is the personification of evil as it is conceived in many and various cultures and religious traditions. Devil or Devils may also refer to: * Satan * Devil in Christianity * Demon * Folk devil Art, entertainment, and media Film and ...

, Devil's Tower Road and other nearby places.

References

External links

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Reconstruction of the Neanderthal child's head and face
1940 disestablishments in Gibraltar Buildings and structures demolished in 1940 Fortifications in Gibraltar Archaeological sites in Gibraltar Demolished buildings and structures in Gibraltar Neanderthal sites Mousterian Watchtowers Limestone buildings {{Gibraltar-geo-stub