Gough's Cave — Cheddar
Gough's Cave — Cheddar Complex
Upper Palaeolithic (15000–11000 BCE)·Creswellian·🇬🇧 Somerset, Cheddar Gorge, United Kingdom
About
About Gough's Cave — Cheddar
Gough's Cave — Cheddar in Somerset, Cheddar Gorge, United Kingdom is a Upper Palaeolithic (15000–11000 BCE) cave attributed to Creswellian culture. Detailed survey and excavation document architectural phasing. The site includes a principal feature and ancillary settlement or ceremonial elements.
Why it mattersKey Creswellian site illustrating Upper Palaeolithic (15000–11000 BCE) cave traditions.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Chronology of Gough's Cave — Cheddar
- 02Function of ancillary enclosures
Theories
- 01Ceremonial centre for Creswellian
- 02Defensive and ritual focus
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 14500 BCE
- Period
- Upper Palaeolithic (15000–11000 BCE)
- Culture
- Creswellian
- Purpose
- Cave with Cheddar Man and cannibalism skull-cups
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
c. 14500 BCE
Initial construction
c. 1000 CE
Abandonment or reuse
On the ground
Structures & features
51.2811° N · 2.7658° W · 235 m · 3 mapped features
Gough's Cave — Cheddar — Principal Feature
structurePrimary cave feature at Gough's Cave — Cheddar
51.2819° N · 2.7650° WGough's Cave — Cheddar — Ancillary Complex
complexAncillary complex at Gough's Cave — Cheddar with settlement traces
51.2804° N · 2.7664° WGough's Cave — Cheddar — Outlier
rock artOutlier alignment or rock art at Gough's Cave — Cheddar
51.2822° N · 2.7668° W