Archaeology Lunchtime Talk

Late Neanderthals and early modern humans in Wales

Between 45,000 and 30,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age, Britain was an inhospitable place.

Late Neanderthal and early modern human hunter-gatherers visited infrequently, briefly and in small numbers, during the short, sporadic periods when the harsh climate became more clement.

The most important and informative archaeological sites for this period are Welsh caves, which have been explored by those with an interest in the deep past for at least two centuries.

This talk will describe what we currently know about these Ice Age visitors and the world in which they lived.

The focus will be upon recent research on old cave collections – many of which reside at the National Museum in Cardiff – and on recent excavations at some of these sites.