Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-5nwft Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-09T22:41:57.046Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Palaeolithic Cave Engravings at Creswell Crags, England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 February 2014

Sergio Ripoll ,
Francisco Muñz ,
Paul Bahn  and
Paul Pettitt
Sergio Ripoll
Affiliation:
Departamento de Prehistoria e Historia Antigua, Universidad Nacional de Educatión a Distancia. C/Senda del Rey, 7. 28040 Madrid, Spain
Francisco Muñz
Affiliation:
Departamento de Prehistoria e Historia Antigua, Universidad Nacional de Educatión a Distancia. C/Senda del Rey, 7. 28040 Madrid, Spain
Paul Bahn
Affiliation:
428 Anlaby Road, Hull HU3 6QP
Paul Pettitt
Affiliation:
Dept. of Archaeology, University of Sheffield, Northgate House, West Street, Sheffield S1 4ET
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

A series of undoubtedly Palaeolithic engraved figures have been recorded for the first time in the United Kingdom in Church Hole Cave, Creswell Crags. The first recorded images were thought initially to be two birds and a large ibex. This paper presents the preliminary results of the first systematic survey of the caves for engravings which identified a total of 16 figures. On closer examination with correct lighting the ibex was seen to be a stag, accompanied by a bison and another herbivore. The presence of the birds was confirmed and at least one other bovid and several other images, including possible vulvas, were identified.

Résumé

On a répertorié une série de gravures rupestres datant sans le moindre doute du Paléolithique dans la grotte de Church Hole, Cresswell Crags, ce qui est une première pour le Royaume-Uni. On a pensé, au départ, que les premières images répertories représentaient deux oiseaux et un grand bouquetin. Cette étude présente les résultats préliminaires de la première prospection systématique des grottes, à la recherche de gravures, qui a identifié un total de 16 figures. Un examen plus approfondi avec un éclairage approprié a révélé que le bouquetin était en fait un cerf accompagné d'un bison et d'un autre herbivore. On a pu confirmer la présence des oiseaux et on a identifié au moins un autre bovidé ainsi que plusieurs autres représentations, y compris peut-être des vulves.

Zusammenfassung

In der Church Hole Höhle in Creswell Crags wurden zum ersten Mai im Vereinigten Königreich eine Reihe von unzweifelhaft paläolithischen gravierten Figuren aufgenommen. Die ersten beschriebenen Bilder wurden zunächst für zwei Vögel und einen großen Steinbock gehalten. Dieser Artikel legt die vorläufigen Ergebnisse des ersten systematischen Surveys zu den Gravierungen der Höhlen vor, indem insgesamt 16 Figuren identifiziert werden konnten. Nach einer näheren Untersuchung unter guten Lichtverhältnissen konnte man schließlich erkennen, dass es sich bei dem Steinbock um einen Hirsch handelte, der von einem Bison und einem anderen Pflanzenfresser begleitet wurde. Das Vorkommen der Vögel konnte jedoch bestätigt und mindestens ein weiterer Bovide und mehrere andere Bilder, zu denen mögliche Darstellungen von Vulven gehören, identifiziert werden.

Zusammenfassung

Una serie de figuras grabadas, indudablemente del Paleolítico, han sido registradas por primera vez en el Reino Unido en la Cueva de Church Hole, Creswell Crags. Inicialmente se pensó que las primeras imágenes encontradas representaban dos pájaros y una cabra montés de gran tamaño. Este trabajo presenta los resultados preliminares de la primera inspectión sistemática de las cuevas en busca de grabados, que identificó un total de 16 figuras. Tras un examen más detallado con la iluminación adecuada, se vió que la cabra montés era en realidad un ciervo, acompañado por un bisón y otro herbívoro. La presencia de los pájaros quedó confirmada y se identificaros al menos otro bovino y varias otras imágenes que incluyen las de posibles vulvas.

Type
Research Article
Information
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society , Volume 70 , 2004 , pp. 93 - 105
Copyright
Copyright © The Prehistoric Society 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Armstrong, A.L. 1925. Excavations at Mother Grundy's Parlour, Creswell Crags, Derbyshire, 1924. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 55, 146–78Google Scholar
Bahn, P. 2003. Art of the hunters. British Archaeology 72, 8–13Google Scholar
Bahn, P., Pettitt, P. & Ripoll, S. 2003. Discovery of Palaeolithic cave art in Britain. Antiquity 77, 227–31Google Scholar
Bahn, P.G. & Vertut, J. 1997. Journey Through the Ice Age. London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson/Berkeley: University of California PressGoogle Scholar
Barton, R.N.E. 1990. The en éperon technque in the British Late Palaeolithic. Lithics 11, 31–3Google Scholar
Barton, R.N.E., Jacobi, R.M., Stapert, D. & Street, M.J. 2003. The Late-glacial reoccupation of the British Isles and the Creswellian. Journal of Quaternary Science 18(7), 631–43Google Scholar
Blockley, S.P.E., Donahue, R.E. & Pollard, A.M. 2000. Radiocarbon calibration and late Glacial occupation in northwest Europe. Antiquity 74, 112–21Google Scholar
Boyd Dawkins, W. 1876. On the mammalia and traces of man found in the Robin Hood Cave. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 32, 245–58. Also in Journal of the Anthropological Institute 6(1), 95–7CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boyd Dawkins, W. 1877. On the mammal fauna of the caves of Creswell Crags. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 33(3), 589–612Google Scholar
Campbell, J.B. 1969/1970. Excavations at Creswell Crags: preliminary report. Derbyshire Archaeological Journal 89/90, 47–58Google Scholar
Campbell, J.B. 1977. The Upper Palaeolithic of Britain: a study of man and nature in the late Ice Age. Oxford: ClarendonGoogle Scholar
Charles, R. 1999. Garrod and the Belgian Creswellian. In Davies, W. & Charles, R. (eds), Dorothy Garrod and the Progress of the Palaeolithic, 57–75. Oxford: OxbowGoogle Scholar
Charles, R. & Jacobi, R.M. 1994. The Lateglacial fauna from the Robin Hood Cave, Creswell Crags: a reassessment. Oxford Journal of Archaeology 13(1), 1–32Google Scholar
Garrod, D.A.E. 1926. The Upper Palaeolithic Age in Britain. Oxford: ClarendonGoogle Scholar
Gilbertson, D.D. & Jenkinson, R.D.S. 1984. In the Shadow of Extinction: a Quaternary archaeology and palaeoecology of the lake, fissures and smaller caves at Creswell Crags SSSI. Sheffield: University PressGoogle Scholar
Housley, R., Gamble, C.S., Street, M. & Pettitt, P. 1997. Radiocarbon evidence for the Lateglacial human recolonisation of northern Europe. Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society 63, 25–54Google Scholar
Housley, R., Gamble, C.S. & Pettitt, P. 2000. Reply to Blockley, Donahue and Pollard. Antiquity 74, 117–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jacobi, R.M. 1991. The Creswellian, Creswell and Cheddar. In Barton, N.Roberts, A. & Roe, D. (eds), The Late Glacial in North-west Europe: human adaptation and environmental change at the end of the Pleistocene, 128–40. York, Council for British Archaeology Research Report 77Google Scholar
Jenkinson, R.D.S. 1980. The Archaeological Caves and Rock Shelters in the Creswell Crags Area. Creswell Crags Visitor Centre Research Report 1Google Scholar
Kiberd, P. 1997. Notes relating to excavations at Pin Hole Cave, Derbyshire (1930 and 1933). Transactions of the Hunter Archaeological Society 19, 1–11Google Scholar
Mello, J. Magens. 1875. On some bone caves in Creswell Crags. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 31, 679–91Google Scholar
Mello, J. Magens, 1876. The bone caves of Creswell Crags. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 32, 240–4CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mello, J. Magens, 1877. The bone caves of Creswell Crags. Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 33, 579–88CrossRefGoogle Scholar