Gough’s Cave, located within the limestone cliffs of Cheddar Gorge in Somerset, UK, offers a significant window into prehistoric life. This ancient subterranean system has yielded a collection of archaeological finds, offering profound insights into the early inhabitants of Britain. Discoveries within its depths paint a detailed picture of how ancient ancestors lived and adapted during the Ice Age and subsequent periods.
Location and Geological Features
Gough’s Cave is nestled within Cheddar Gorge, Britain’s largest gorge, part of the Mendip Hills. This cave system began forming over 500,000 years ago, as acidic rainwater permeated fissures in the Carboniferous limestone bedrock. Over millennia, dissolution carved out a complex network of chambers and passages, including cathedral-like caverns and towering formations. The cave also contains the Cheddar Yeo, Britain’s largest underground river system.
Stalactites (hanging from the ceiling) and stalagmites (rising from the floor) adorn the cave’s interior, formed by the slow deposition of minerals from dripping water. These geological features, alongside underground pools, create a unique subterranean landscape. The cave extends to a depth of 115 meters and measures 3.405 kilometers in length, with only a portion accessible to the public as a show cave.
Unearthing Ancient Secrets
Gough’s Cave has been an archaeological site since the late 19th century, revealing extensive evidence of human occupation during the Late Upper Paleolithic period, roughly 14,700 years ago. Excavations have unearthed a collection of artifacts, including thousands of flint tools, worked bone, and antler objects. Finds like spearheads made of mammoth ivory and antler “batons de commandement” indicate the advanced tool-making skills of the Magdalenian culture, a group of Cro-Magnon hunter-gatherers who inhabited the cave.
The archaeological record also includes animal remains, particularly from terrestrial herbivores like red deer, aurochs, and horses, likely hunted by the cave’s inhabitants. These discoveries show how early inhabitants utilized the cave for shelter, tool production, and processing of hunted animals during Ice Age Britain.
The Story of Cheddar Man
In 1903, during drainage ditch excavations near the entrance of Gough’s Cave, the nearly complete skeleton of a human male was discovered, later named Cheddar Man. This individual, Britain’s oldest near-complete human skeleton, has been dated to approximately 10,000 years ago, placing him in the early Mesolithic period. His remains are preserved at the Natural History Museum in London.
Modern DNA analysis, conducted in 2018 by scientists from the Natural History Museum and University College London, provided insights into Cheddar Man’s appearance and ancestry. By extracting DNA, researchers determined he likely had dark or dark-to-black skin, blue or green eyes, and dark, curly or wavy hair. This genetic profile aligns him with other Western European hunter-gatherer populations of that era, challenging previous assumptions about early Britons and revealing a more complex picture of European genetic history.
Evidence of Prehistoric Human Behavior
Gough’s Cave has yielded evidence of complex prehistoric human behaviors. Skeletal remains from multiple individuals, including a young child and adolescents, dating back approximately 14,700 years, show distinct cut marks and intentional bone breakage. Microscopic 3D analysis revealed these marks are consistent with defleshing and disarticulation, suggesting the meticulous removal of soft tissues such as lips, cheeks, tongue, and the extraction of eyes.
Long bones and ribs were cracked open and gnawed, likely to extract marrow and grease, a practice also observed on animal bones found in the cave. Three human skulls were carefully shaped and modified, with facial bones and the base of the skull removed, to create cups or bowls. Researchers propose that these actions, which mirror the processing of hunted animals, point towards a sophisticated culture of butchering and carving human remains, potentially as part of ritualistic practices rather than solely for survival.
Gough’s Cave Today
Today, Gough’s Cave is a popular tourist attraction, drawing visitors to explore its chambers and learn about its ancient past. The cave is equipped with modern facilities, including walkways and lighting. Audio guides narrate the cave’s history, from its geological formation to its occupation by Stone Age people and its Victorian-era exploration by Richard Cox Gough.
Beyond its role as a show cave, Gough’s Cave remains an active site for scientific research. It is recognized as a protected heritage site. The cave also maintains a unique tradition, serving as a maturation site for the world-famous Cheddar cheese, a practice that has continued for over a century.