Prehistoric Society response to the recent vandalism of newlydiscovered Palaeolithic cave art on The Gower Peninsula, Wales
In July 2011, the BBC and other news outlets widely reported the discovery of incised rock
art from a cave on the Gower Peninsula in Wales, although it had actually been discovered
during a field trip in September 2010. The design is thought to represent a speared reindeer.
A team from the Open University extracted samples from the flowstone on which the
engraving was situated for uranium series dating. A preliminary date of around 12572 ± 600
years BP was obtained from one such sample partly covering the muzzle of the reindeer,
and 3-D laser scanning of the cave was undertaken (Rock Articles 6: 7-8).
At some point during the autumn, however, due in part to the location of the cave having
become a somewhat poorly-kept secret, the rock art was almost destroyed by the surface of
the rock being repeatedly scrubbed away. Much of the engraving has now been destroyed.
This extraordinary action seems to go way beyond casual vandalism and the Prehistoric
Society deplores this grossly irresponsible or even malicious act.
With the benefit of hindsight, it does now appear that the announcement of the find by the
academics concerned was premature, and should have been delayed until the landowners
(the Forestry Commission) and curatorial authorities such as Cadw had been allowed to put
protective security measures in place, preparations for which were underway when the
vandal(s) struck. This should also be a salutary lesson for the safeguarding of future
archaeological discoveries. Despite increasing pressure to publicise discoveries for the
benefit of departments, universities and funding bodies, archaeologists should perhaps be a
little more circumspect when courting publicity.