Story perspectives
Protected after 17,000-Year-Old Finger-Painted Cave Art Discovery.
6/2/2026
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Story summary
- Uranium-thorium analysis proved the red bands in Wales were painted by human fingers over 17,000 years ago.
- Archaeologist George Nash and his team confirmed the stripes in Bacon Hole cave date to 17,100 years ago.
- Pigments containing calcite and clay residues indicate finger application rather than natural mineral seepage.
- National Trust Cymru installed a steel grill to protect the art, urging that Bacon Hole become a scheduled monument.
