Researchers have discovered 15,000-year-old cave art in Ireland, suggesting early humans arrived via a land bridge from Wales.
Key facts
- •The newly discovered cave art dates back at least 15,000 years.
- •The findings predate the previously known earliest human presence in Ireland by 5,000 years.
- •The land bridge connected Pembrokeshire, Wales, to the area near Rosslare, Ireland.
- •The 46-mile (76 km) plateau supported large herbivores including mammoths and bison.
- •Dr. George Nash of Liverpool University led the international research team.
An international research team has identified eight cave sites in south-west Ireland containing rock art dating back at least 15,000 years. Led by Dr. George Nash of Liverpool University, the discovery suggests that the first humans to reach Ireland likely traveled from modern-day Wales across a land bridge that existed during the last Ice Age.
By the numbers
The Lost Land Bridge
During the last Ice Age, lower sea levels created a land bridge between Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the south-east tip of Ireland near Rosslare. Dr. Nash describes this area as a 46-mile (76 km) forested and grassland plateau. Despite summertime temperatures ranging from -10°C to -20°C, the environment supported large herbivores such as mammoth, bison, reindeer, and wild horses. These animals fed on mosses, lichens, and sedges that grew in the near-frozen soil, creating a viable path for hunter-gatherers.
Research and Findings
The discovery of the cave art pushes back the timeline of known human presence in Ireland by approximately 5,000 years. Dr. Nash coordinated the Lost Land Bridge Project, assembling a multi-disciplinary team of experts from University College Dublin, the University of Adelaide, and academics from Dubai, Wales, and Portugal to investigate the sites.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by BBC Science & Environment.
