Abstract

Stephen Aldhouse-Green’s excavations at Hoyle’s Mouth obtained new sedimentological, faunal and lithic artefact assemblages. The historic record of an Aurignacian burin busquée remains the only cultural evidence for a pre-Last Glacial Maximum use of the cave. The research dated faunal remains through MIS 3 and added little to the faunal record from south Wales for this earlier time. The Late Glacial artefact assemblage was enhanced by new finds which can be connected to an early Late Glacial faunal assemblage of mammals, microfauna and avian remains from the new excavations. Artefacts were discovered stratified deep within the cave leading to a consideration of the use of the cave during this period. All the lithic artefacts were studied and similarities between those from Hoyle’s Mouth and Gough’s Cave, Cheddar, Somerset were noted. The faunal assemblage provides evidence for the local contemporary environment and climate. Later use of Hoyle’s Mouth, with a Mesolithic knapping floor above the cave entrance, and the use of the Recess within the cave as a burial place for Neolithic people are described.