Paviland Cave and the 'Red Lady': a definitive report

editor

Stephen Aldhouse-Green

The richest Early Upper Palaeolithic site in Britain, Paviland Cave on Wales’ Gower Peninsula, was discovered in 1823 by Reverend William Buckland. He unearthed the remains of a young adult male, covered with red ochre, but the body soon became the subject of debate, not least because of its early mis-identification as the ‘Red Lady’ of Paviland. Ceremonially buried, with ivory ornaments and perforated seashells, the circumstances hint at a ritual or shamanic use of the site.
The recent re-excavation of the site, a new study of previously excavated artefacts, and a suite of radiocarbon dates, have enabled reconstruction of the phases and nature of human use of the cave. Set in the context of climatic and environmental change, this has allowed new, intriguing interpretations to be made of Paviland.
The dating evidence suggests that the Aurignacian appeared relatively late in Britain, towards 28,000 BP, and that Britain was only infrequently visited by task groups or - more controversially - pilgrims during the climatic downturn from 27,000 BP until the onset of the Last Glacial Maximum.

contributors include:

A Brookes, DQ Bowen, P Bull, D Case, N Debenham, A Eastham, T Holliday, M Ivanovich, R Jones, A Latham, DJ Lowe, R Mourne, PB Pettitt, M Richards, S Swainston, BC Sykes, E Trinkaus, A Turner, EA Walker and T Young.

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© Western Academic & Specialist Press Ltd 2004