Ancient cave art discovery suggests first known humans in Ireland walked over from Wales
Summary
Researchers discovered ancient cave art in south-west Ireland that shows humans lived there at least 15,000 years ago, about 5,000 years earlier than previously known. They believe these early people came from Wales, crossing a land bridge exposed during the Ice Age when sea levels were lower.Key Facts
- The cave art sites date back at least 15,000 years, pushing back known human presence in Ireland by 5,000 years.
- During the last Ice Age, lower sea levels exposed a land bridge between Pembrokeshire (Wales) and south-east Ireland.
- This land bridge was about 46 miles wide and had forests and grasslands supporting large animals like mammoths and wild horses.
- Researchers used artificial intelligence (AI) to find potential cave sites in Ireland by comparing them to known cave dwellings in south Wales.
- Out of 28 sites identified by the AI, eight caves in Ireland showed ancient rock art.
- The exact locations of the caves are kept secret to protect them from vandalism or looting.
- Early modern humans settled south Wales around 35,000 to 40,000 years ago, likely traveling from southern England, France, and Spain.
- The discovery suggests that humans used the land bridge to move from Wales to Ireland during the Ice Age.
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