2019:148 - Alice & Gwendoline Cave, Clare

The objective of the 2019 excavation at Alice and Gwendoline Cave was to investigate the archaeological and environmental context of an Upper Palaeolithic butchered bear patella and extinct faunal remains that were recovered during excavations in 1902. In advance of the 2019 excavation, a geophysical survey using high resolution magnetometry and magnetic susceptibility was carried out in the Alice passage, which led to the identification of several areas of burning.
A licensed metal detection survey was conducted to assess the levels of disturbance at the site. The entire cave and exterior were surveyed using a 3D laser scanner, and a new floor plan of the cave was created to replace the 1902 survey.

Two trenches were opened in August 2019. Trench 1 (4m x 1m) was located at the terminus of the Alice passage. Trench 2 (2m x 2m) was opened 10.5m inside the cave entrance in the most spacious part of the cave where the butchered bear patella was discovered in 1902. Both trenches were excavated by grid (each 0.5m x 0.5m), stratigraphically, and by single context. All excavated deposits were dry-sieved outside the cave through sieves with a 3mm diameter mesh. The principal deposits removed occurred beneath the level of the 1902 excavation; these strata were in situ and had not been disturbed or investigated during the antiquarian dig. A small quantity of animal bone was recovered from both trenches, in addition to a series of possibly struck lithics. Two areas of in situ burning that had been identified by magnetic susceptibility in Trench 2 were also investigated.

The 2019 excavation succeeded in establishing the extent of the 1902 excavations. Colour changes visible on the cave walls, and small pockets of sediment, indicated the level of the cave floor prior to the 1902 excavation: essentially 0.6-0.75m above the current floor level in the Alice passage. It became apparent that the 1902 excavation was extremely thorough with very few areas of original intact deposit surviving. Traces of the 1902 excavation were noted: a 60ft mark in red paint on the cave wall to the east of Trench 1; a swastika carved into the western cave wall to the south of Trench 2 – a symbol Thomas J. Westropp of the 1902 team frequently added to his illustrations; and fragments of glass bottles that probably relate to the antiquarian investigation.

Two micromorphology samples and six phytolith samples were taken from Trench 1, while six micromorphology samples, one lipid biomarker sample and seven phytolith samples were taken from Trench 2. Pending NMI permission, these samples will be subject to lipid biomarker characterisation with compound specific carbon and hydrogen isotope analysis, soil micromorphology and phytolith analyses.
Post-excavation work is ongoing and will include specialist analysis of the faunal remains and lithics recovered, in addition to a radiocarbon dating programme.
This excavation was funded under the Royal Irish Academy Research Excavations 2019 fund, with additional financial support from the School of Science, IT Sligo.