An overdrawn photo of the stag engraving in Church Hole (Photo: Sergio Ripoll).
Found at Zinken, where it may be viewed much enlarged.

For over a year I’ve been reading with great interest about the rock art finds in the caves of Creswell Crags, a limestone gorge in Nottinghamshire, northern England. Further surveys revealed that one cave called Church Hole contains about 80 carvings of animals, dancing women, and geometric patterns, perhaps the most elaborate Ice Age cave-art ceiling ever discovered. The finding proved for the first time that early dwellers of this region were capable of producing artwork similar to that of their Paleolithic (early Stone Age) counterparts on continental Europe, and that cave art is spread across a much wider geographical area than originally thought. Now reports confirm their date as more than 12,800 years old – isn’t that quite amazing?

And to me it proves again what sophisticated artists existed already so very long ago. One day I must go on that dreamt-about archaeological and art tour of the UK (and France and Spain and…) !

Here are several articles about this find but photos do not seem to be widely available yet. If any readers have found more, please let me know in the comments.

BBC, more links provided
Art Daily includes a photo
Creswell Crags homepage
Creswell Crags Virtual tour – I found it disappointing that the rock art itself is not shown.
Discovery News – more photos
National Geographic News August 18, 2004
Guardian April 15, 2004 article ‘Dancing girls and the merry Magdalenian’

Thank you, everyone, for all the lovely get well wishes, I do appreciate them very much. A bad week was followed by another one, still battling bronchitis now with some antibiotics, but I think it can only get better now.

When I started the blog I said to myself I would not talk about politics, religion or health. Broke one out of three, in trying to explain my absence, but I’ll try not to let it happen again.

Did you visit plep today? He lists some interesting interactive digs to the Maya Underworld, at Sagalassos,Turkey and at Pompeii. Have fun!

Stone Pages Archaeo News is on my regular reading list. The article below piqued my interest and the wish to share it. It’s copied in its entirety because their articles are not hyperlinked.

Teaching British children archaeology
A Decade ago they would not have known what the word meant, but programmes such as Time Team have filled today’s youngsters with enthusiasm. Wiltshire (England) children as young as five will soon be studying archaeology as part of their school curriculum – and the county’s world-famous landmark, Stonehenge, will help them.

     Amanda Feather, Stonehenge World Heritage Site educational co-ordinator, said: “Children these days are knowledgeable about techniques they have seen on TV and very interested in the whole concept of uncovering the past. They like the idea of becoming detectives and trying to solve the mysteries of the past. Many of them want to be archaeologists.” Last year a Stonehenge Scheme of Work was trialed at Amesbury primary school to support the teachers’ use of Stonehenge in their lessons. Ms Feather said: “This year we are launching the initiative to support all schools in Wiltshire.” Source: Western Daily Press (18 March 2005)

I would love to be in these classes if I were a schoolchild again! Does it seem that there’s a huge growth in archaeology and public interest in its findings? With education through schools, museums and through the internet, hopefully there will be more committment to preservation against vandalism and encroachment by developers. On the other hand, why do looters seem to have a very lucrative market?

Linden Langdon, a printmaker living in Tasmania, has chimed in with a lovely comment on last week’s post Anniversary & Rocks. She writes: “I have put together a flash file of a few photos my mum has taken while she has been travelling in the outback (Australia), which I thought you may be interested in seeing. It is always so stunning to see such similarities and also diversity in such ancient art work – no internet to let each other know what they were doing!”

So over to her blog I went, as I do almost daily, to read about her family’s interest in rocks and rock art (February 8, 2005)* and Linden’s kind mention of my blog. The Flash presentation of Outback Australian rock art is beautiful! Thank you, Linden, to both you and your mom for sharing, and for the compliments!

One of the very great pleasures of blogging for me are the interesting people who have written to me from around the world and shared their similar interests and sometimes their own research and photos, like Linden has today, and also Vyacheslav Mizin of St. Petersburg, Russia. The world has shrunk indeed.

I haven’t really researched Australia’s Rock Art yet, but here are a few links that I have bookmarked if you are interested. If any readers have suggestions and would like to share them, I can add them to the list.

The Bradshaw Foundation has been mentioned before for their excellent work around the world. Check out the “Bradshaw Paintings” for Australia’s art.
Steve Lonker’s page
Auranet, Australian Rock Art Research

*Linden no longer has this blog. She can be found here but the above links no longer exist, sadly.

There are lots of news breaking stories of new archaeological discoveries around the world, especially in newly “opened” countries like Bulgaria and China, as evidenced on Stone Pages and Zinken for example.

Even in the British Isles, which seem to be one giant archaeological site, finds are still being unearthed. These are always heralded as important treasures to be studied and protected. Then why are we reading about long-existing and well-known sites like Stonehenge and Tara Hill, Ireland being threatened by freeways? Global outrage is mentioned, but it seems to me it isn’t loud enough.

Then there is the wear and tear and vandalism of unprotected sites, like in Africa.

Restoration of the temples in Malta has become a commendable governmental initiative, but why not include those on the island of Gozo?

War-torn nations like Iraq suffer looting of treasures that are turning up in wealthier (and greedy?) Western countries seemingly eager to accept the spoils. I could go on, but I’m getting depressed.

Have a look at Bradshaw Foundation’s gorgeous photos of African art and the temples of Malta, and feel the awe and then the outrage.

Some previous related posts:
rock art defaced
rock art threatened by gas exploration
on South African Art