Sharing the Treasures: Kendrick's Cave
Kendrick's Cave on Great Orme, uncovered by Thomas Kendrick in
1880, has brought to light a wealth of material from pre-historic
Britain. A research project in partnership with the British Museum,
the Field Club, Llandudno Museum and Archives, Llandudno and Colwyn
Bay Historical Society, the National Museum of Wales, Oxford and
Bradford Universities has helped to bring the objects back
together. They include a decorated horse jaw which is not only the
oldest known work of art from Wales but also unique among finds of
Ice Age art from Europe.
The cave was probably a special place for burial rather than a
campsite and analysis of samples of the bones found there show us
that a large part of their diet came from the sea. Together with
the skeletal remains of some of these people, these finds suggest a
picture of people who migrated across from Europe while there was
still a landbridge 13-14,000 years ago.
In addition to Kendrick’s Cave the new displays provides an
opportunity to show other aspects of the Field Club collection.
This display has been made possible through a grant from the
Cyfoeth Cymru Gyfan – Sharing Treasures scheme. The scheme is
funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and administered by CyMAL:
Museums Archives and Libraries Wales.
Llandudno
Museum
1 April - 28 September 2008
Image: Decorated horse jaw fragment
found at Kendrick's Cave