Archaeologists Reclassify Bacon Hole Art at 17,100 Years Old, Britain's Oldest Cave Painting
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jun 1
Archaeologists Reclassify Bacon Hole Art at 17,100 Years Old, Britain's Oldest Cave Painting
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jun 1
Uranium-thorium dating has confirmed red bands at Bacon Hole in south Wales were painted 17,100 years ago, overturning a 1928 conclusion that they were natural mineral streaks.
Laboratory analysis found calcite and clay in a deliberate pigment mixture, while the evenly spaced horizontal lines and finger-applied paint pointed to human creation rather than seepage through limestone.
The finding makes Bacon Hole the oldest known cave art in Britain and north-western Europe, surpassing other rare British Upper Palaeolithic examples such as Cathole Cave, dated to at least 14,500 years ago.
Researchers say the site should now be protected as a scheduled monument; the National Trust of Wales, which oversees the cave, is due to announce the study this week.
What do simple red markings reveal about the lost symbolic world of Britain's first Ice Age artists?
As dating methods face scrutiny, is Britain's oldest art discovery built on solid rock or shifting science?
Rediscovering Bacon Hole: Scientific Validation of Britain's 15,700-Year-Old Cave Art and Its Impact on Prehistoric Understanding
Overview
In 2022, an international team of researchers rediscovered and scientifically validated ancient cave art in Bacon Hole, South Wales. Their intensive fieldwork focused on a painted surface, using advanced methods like pigment analysis and uranium–thorium dating to confirm the art’s authenticity and age. Techniques such as ATR-FTIR and Micro-Raman spectroscopy ensured reliable results. This rigorous approach overcame past doubts caused by calcite deposits and graffiti, ultimately proving the markings were made by humans at least 15,700 years ago. The findings redefined Britain’s prehistoric timeline, establishing Bacon Hole as the site of the country’s oldest known cave art.