Wogan Cavern Excavations at Pembroke Castle Could Uncover Neanderthal History in Britain

Archaeologists from the University of Aberdeen are launching a five-year excavation project at Wogan Cavern beneath Pembroke Castle in Wales, starting at the end of May. The site has yielded prehistoric artifacts including stone tools and animal bones from mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, reindeer, wild horses, and hippopotamus dating back approximately 120,000 years. Evidence suggests human occupation by hunter-gatherers around 11,500 years ago and early Homo sapiens from 45,000 to 35,000 years ago, with possible Neanderthal visits. Researchers hope the undisturbed cave floor, walled off in the early 13th century, will preserve ancient DNA in bones and sediments. The project aims to clarify the transition between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in Britain, including potential interactions and the role of Homo sapiens in Neanderthal extinction around 45,000 years ago. Funding and support come from the Calleva Foundation and Pembroke Castle Trust, with finds to be housed at the castle. Preliminary excavations from 2021 to 2024 revealed the site's potential, contrasting with other British locations like Kents Cavern and Paviland Cave, where Victorian-era archaeology removed materials. Archaeologists Kate Britton and Rob Dinnis emphasize the site's value for studying past environments and ecosystems. Pembroke Castle, the birthplace of Henry VII in 1457, is a popular tourist attraction, and manager Jon Williams notes the addition of Stone Age history could boost tourism.