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Ancient Art Found: Wales Cave Holds Oldest British Masterpiece
1 Jun
Summary
- Palaeolithic rock art in Bacon Hole, Wales, is 17,100 years old.
- New analysis proves the art is the oldest in Britain and NW Europe.
- The art was intentionally created by human fingers, not natural processes.
Scientific analysis has definitively proven that markings on the walls of Bacon Hole, a cave in south Wales, are indeed Palaeolithic rock art. Initially discovered in 1912 and later dismissed as natural mineral deposits, new research using uranium-thorium dating has established the art's age at 17,100 years old. This groundbreaking find makes it the oldest rock art discovered in Britain and northwestern Europe.
An international team, led by Dr. George Nash, analyzed the pigments and found a mixture of calcite and clay residues, consistent with the local geology. The researchers concluded that the horizontally arranged, equidistant lines were intentionally created by human fingers, validating the original 1912 assessment. This rediscovery sheds new light on prehistoric activities in Wales during the Devensian glaciation period.
The cave, situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty overlooking the Bristol Channel, is currently under the custodianship of the National Trust of Wales. While not yet a protected 'scheduled monument,' archaeologists are advocating for its designation. This research, published in the journal Quaternary, involved collaboration with various scientific groups and universities.
