Victoria Cave.

Be part of the Victoria Cave story

Male brown bear skull and mandibles c 12,200 BC. Victoria Cave. Lord Cave Archive.

The skull and mandibles of this spectacular Ice Age fossil were found in different parts of Victoria Cave during the large scale excavations by the Settle Cave Exploration Committee in the 1870s. One mandible was found in 1870, the skull and the other mandible were found in 1874.

Beginning in May 2016 a project at Lower Winskill will make the first digital record of nearly 2000 items relating to the 1870s excavations using the surviving finds, finds records, excavation note books and photographs held in the Lord Cave. The aim is to reconstruct the progress of the excavations from 1870 to 1878, and rediscover how the 1870s excavators went about their work. The information will be preserved in the form of a digital archive to be deposited with the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority who own and manage Victoria Cave, and the Archaeological Data Service. Building on the digital archive, the second phase of the project will involve the creation of on line resources about Victoria Cave.

If you would like to get involved with "Be part of the Victoria Cave story" please contact Tom Lord email tomlord@daelnet.co.uk Tom is a Research Associate in the Department of Archaeology at York University with over thirty years experience of cave archaeology and palaeontology in the Yorkshire Dales. This is an opportunity to handle many of the finds and documents relating to the important historic investigations at Victoria Cave, and to experience the less glamorous, but essential behind the scenes stuff that archaeology relies upon. Training is available, and no previous experience in digital archiving is necessary. More details will appear here shortly.