Family Holiday Leads to Ancient Bone Discovery in Wales

John Bolton, an archaeologist, inadvertently started a series of remarkable discoveries while on a family visit to Pembroke Castle in Wales in 2010. He learned of Wogan Cavern beneath the castle and, noticing a lack of prior excavation, convinced Dr. Rob Dinnis of the University of Aberdeen to investigate.

Small digs from 2021 to 2024 revealed extremely rare evidence of early humans and animals, including the bones of a hippopotamus dating back 120,000 years. Experts believe the cave remained largely unexcavated unlike many others from the Victorian era, preserving crucial archaeological material.

The University of Aberdeen will now lead a five-year exploration of Wogan Cavern, hoping to extract DNA and sediment analysis to understand prehistoric life in Britain. The Pembroke Castle Trust will curate the findings, keeping the collection accessible to the public.