Hidden cave, prehistoric hippopotamus bones found under Welsh castle called “once in a lifetime discovery”

A hidden prehistoric cave and hippopotamus bones found beneath a Welsh castle could revolutionize understanding of ancient life in Britain, researchers said Thursday, calling the site a “once-in-a-lifetime discovery.”

Previous minor excavations at Pembroke Castle – the birthplace of Henry Tudor and a popular tourist attraction – have already revealed evidence of early humans and animals, including the extinct hippopotamus that roamed Wales 120,000 years ago.

A major five-year archaeological project led by the University of Aberdeen will investigate the “great” cave, accessed by a spiral staircase from the 11th Century castle.

“There’s no other place like it in Britain — it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” said Rob Dinnis, who will lead the project.

The cave, thought to have been dug out by the Victorians, is now described as “one of Britain’s most important archives.”

“Despite the limited work done so far, we can say that Wogan Cavern is a truly remarkable place,” Dinnis said in a statement. “Not only is there rare evidence of early Homo sapiens, there are also indications of even earlier human habitation, perhaps by Neanderthals.”

“We also found hippopotamus bones, which probably date from the last ice age, about 120,000 years ago,” he added.

Previous finds have revealed the bones of a mammoth, a woolly rhinoceros, an antelope and a wild horse, alongside stone tools and evidence of human habitation over many periods.

“Bones of mammoths and deer have been found alongside stone tools left by the first Homo sapiens to inhabit Britain,” the castle said in a statement.

With major excavations set to resume in May, researchers say they hope to gain “insights into past climate change, extinct species, and the many times that people called this cave their home.”

They said the site could trace a long sequence of human activities, from hunter-gatherers after the last Ice Age about 11,500 years ago to some early Homo sapiens in Britain between 45,000 and 35,000 years ago, and perhaps even before the Neanderthal presence.

“Wogan Cavern offers a unique opportunity to use all the scientific methods now available to archaeologists,” said professor Kate Britton from the University of Aberdeen.

“Because the bones are so well preserved, we can learn a lot about past environments and environments,” he added.

At Pembroke Castle, staff say the discovery adds a new dimension to the site’s long history as a medieval castle where Henry VII was born in 1457.

“This is very exciting news for everyone at the castle,” said castle manager Jon Williams. “We are happy that the work of this beautiful cave will continue.”

This project adds to the latest scientific discoveries about our ancestors.

A a study released earlier this year concluded that fossils found in Morocco dating back 773,000 years support the theory that Homo sapiens first appeared in Africa. Neanderthals lived in Europe, while the latest additions to the family, the Denisovans, roamed Asia.

In November, scientists said that newly discovered fossils show that a a mysterious foot found in Ethiopia she belongs to a little-known person, recently named as an ancient relative who lived next to the famous Lucy’s species.

In 2022, the researchers concluded that Neanderthals and humans lived together in France and Spain for up to 2,900 years, giving them plenty of time to learn or breed together.