The ursids, or bears, make up oneof.the
smallest living families within the mammal
group Carnivora, but it contains the largest
and most powerful members, Ursusspelaeus
was the fearsome-looking European cave bear
that oJr prehistoric ancestors would have
encountered across Central and Southern Europe
during the most recent Ice Ages, perhaps less
than 10,000 years ago. Its probable diet was
chiefly plants rather than meat. Its remains are
often found in caves where the bears regularly
rested, sheltered, gave birth and hibernated,
sometimes in large numbers - but never woke
up. The bones and teeth were used in rituals
and as decoration by Neanderthal people more
than 30,000 years ago.