Is this the oldest piece of rock art found in Britain? - South Wales Evening Post

GOWER'S dramatic scenery has inspired artists for many a year.

But a recently discovered piece of rock art could be Britain's oldest, according to the archeologist who discovered the faint scratchings of a speared reindeer in a cave.

George Nash is not saying which cave he found the carving in.

Experts, meanwhile, are working to verify the discovery, which could be more than 14,000 years old.

Dr Nash, a part-time academic at Bristol University, made the discovery while at the caves in September 2010.

"For 20-odd years I have been taking students to this cave and talking about what was going on there," he said. "They went back to their cars and the bus and I decided to have a little snoop around as I've never had the chance to do it before.

"Within a couple of minutes I was scrubbing at the back of a very strange and awkward recess and there a very faint image bounced in front of me — I couldn't believe my eyes."

He explained that colleagues in England had verified red deer images from around 12,000- 14,000BC.

"I think this may be roughly the same period or may be even earlier," he said.

Gower's limestone cliffs are known for their archaeological importance, with caves including Culver Hole and Minchin Hole.

The Red Lady of Paviland, actually the remains of a young male, is the earliest formal human burial to have been found in western Europe. It is thought to be roughly around 29,000 years old, and was discovered at Goat's Hole, at Paviland.

Gower comprised a bigger area of land before sea levels rose following the last Ice Age.

"We know hunter fisher gatherers were roaming around this landscape, albeit seasonally, and they were burying their dead 30,000 years ago," said Dr Nash.

Remains of hyena, mammoth and bear have been found in Gower. Markings believed to have been ancient art at Bacon Hole, near Pennard, were later found to be natural secretions.

Malcolm Ridge, chairman of the Gower Society, said: "It will be fascinating to see what it (the new scratchings) is."

richard.youle@swwmedia.co.uk