OUR ancestors worried about the cave market and borrowed pelts to buy their dwellings, according to archaeologists.
An archaeological dig in Hampshire has revealed that early humans were obsessed with owning their underground shelters from the elements.
Archaeologist Denys Finch Hatton said: Cave paintings suggest that despite constant danger from bears and rival tribes, early man’s primary concern was buying a series of incrementally larger caves.
Early property-themed art shows prehistoric humans living with their parents until the age of 20, which given their life expectancy, was the equivalent of being in their late 50s.
One depicts a cave couple who had clearly spent too much on their cave during a cave boom, and were having to move their rudimentary tools and bedding into a bush in an undesirable forest location.
We see them make cuts to their budget by eating nuts and berries while all the other cave people are tucking into mammoth steaks and drink cloudy, fermented vegetable juice.
Finch Hatton said early mans property problems also included an obsessive desire to increase the value of their caves by digging several holes in the ground to serve as additional bathrooms and utility rooms.
He added: One of the most intriguing paintings shows an attractive female shaman showing couples more expensive caves away from flood plains and sabre-toothed tigers.
Interestingly, similar digs in Europe show that continental cave people didnt get so hung up about it and just rented a cave.
