Prehistoric cave art is a mammoth find

[Owlscrying]

August 14

A mammoth carved on to a wall in Cheddar Caves 13,000 years ago is being hailed as one of the most significant examples of prehistoric art ever found in Britain.

The carving - a little larger than a man's hand, is only the second piece of representational cave art found in Britain, and contemporary with the golden age of cave art in Europe.

Britain had a flourishing Stone Age culture but, unlike prehistoric sites in France and Spain, no cave paintings or carvings had been found until recently, when the discovery of Stone Age carvings of animals and humans at Cresswell Crags, near Sheffield, launched a new hunt for prehistoric cave art.

Graham Mullan and Linda Wilson, of Bristol University, have spent several years minutely examining various Cheddar Caves for almost imperceptible carvings.

So far they have uncovered geometrical carvings in Long Hole, and the 13,000-year-old mammoth in Gough's Cave. Experts believe the carving, in an isolated niche, may have been used by tribal shamans in religious rituals.

"The country's first evidence of cannibalism was found here, and also Britain's oldest complete skeleton, Cheddar Man.

"The mammoth carving was found just beyond the daylight zone, where our ancestors ate and slept.

The creature's huge tusks are the clearest feature.

The carvings predate the famous Cheddar Man skeleton by 4,000 years.

go

[Mr. Mummy's Merry Maiden!]

Interesting find! Are there any pictures of the art?

[swtp]

I sure would like to have a look at that, Very intersting!

[Grandpa Greenman]

I found a site with a picture.

Clicky Here

[Mr. Mummy's Merry Maiden!]

Thanks for finding that picture, Darkwind. It's amazing that they realised that drawing was of a mammoth at all. The fact that there was any cave art that early in British history is very interesting! I hope they find more!