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17,000-Year-Old Stripes of Red in a Welsh Cave Are the Oldest Rock Art in the UK, Study Finds
Researchers say finger-applied red stripes in Bacon Hole were made 17,100 years ago and likely served as symbolic communication.
On Monday, researchers identified 11 red lines in Wales's Bacon Hole cave as Britain's oldest known rock art, dating to 17,100 years ago, according to a study published in the journal Quaternary.
Initially discovered in 1912 by William Sollas, geologist and anthropologist, and Henri Breuil, anthropologist, the lines were dismissed as natural mineral seepage in 1928 before being rediscovered in 2022.
Uranium-Thorium dating and high-definition photography verified the markings were created by human agency, with equidistant horizontal lines indicating "indicating a deliberate and structured pattern," the researchers wrote in the study.
David Thomas, National Trust Cymru archaeologist, called the discovery "very exciting," while experts urge officials to designate Bacon Hole a scheduled monument for legal protection.
The discovery surpasses the 14,500-year-old reindeer art previously found at Cathole Cave, providing insight into the "treeless landscape" inhabited by Paleolithic hunter-gatherers during the Ice Age retreat.