| Aveline's Hole | |
|---|---|
Aveline's Hole |
|
| Location | Burrington Combe |
| Depth | 16m |
| Length | 67m |
| Cave survey | Mendip Cave Registry & Archive (1968) |
| Discovery | 1797 |
| Geology | Limestone |
Aveline's Hole is a cave at Burrington Combe in the limestone of the Mendip Hills, in Somerset, England.
The earliest scientifically dated cemetery in Britain was found at Aveline's Hole. The human bone fragments it contained, from about 21 different individuals, are thought to be between roughly 10,200 and 10,400 years old.[1]
A series of inscribed crosses found on the wall of the Aveline's Hole cave are believed to date from the early Mesolithic period just after the Ice Age.[2] The pattern is said to be comparable with others known from Northern France, Germany and Denmark." A gate has been installed in the cave to protect the engraving, after consultations between English Heritage and other interested parties, including the landowner and English Nature.
The cave was rediscovered in 1797 by two men digging for a rabbit.[3] The cave was excavated and the entrance enlarged in 1860 by William Boyd Dawkins who named it after his mentor William Talbot Aveline.[4]
Access to the cave is controlled by the University of Bristol Spelæological Society and is restricted during the bat hibernation season.
