


Ice Age Art at Creswell Crags
From $225
Summary
The engravings and paintings of the last Ice Age represent the first known flowering of art. The spectacular limestone gorge known as Creswell Crags is thought to have been occupied by as early as 43,000BC. This network of caves, weathered deep into the rock, no doubt provided shelter from the harsh conditions of the last Ice Age. The area is now home to Britain’s most important collection of occupation sites from this period.
The first ‘hint’ of Creswell’s ancient art was found in 1876, when Victorian antiquarians discovered what has become known as the Ochre Horse, an engraving on a rib bone hidden in the caves at Creswell. However, it was not until 2003 that Britain’s only confirmed examples of Ice Age cave art were discovered - and by none other than Dr Bahn himself, who leads this Study Day. Thanks to that discovery, the Crags obtained a lottery grant which paid for a magnificent new museum/visitor center where the original material from the caves (portable art, tools and animal remains) can be seen on display. This is a glimpse into the remote, enigmatic world of our Ice Age ancestors.
Tour highlights:
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Meet your Experts
Dr Paul Bahn
Andante Guide Lecturer
Dr Paul Bahn is the leading expert on prehistoric rock art worldwide, and is certainly one of our best-known archaeologists.

Tour dates & prices
Tour Departure | Tour ID | Departure date | Guided by | Price | Availability |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
28 April 2023 | AXCC230428 | 28 April 2023 (Friday) | Dr Paul Bahn | $225 (ex. flights) |
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26 May 2023 | AXCC230526 | 26 May 2023 (Friday) | Dr Paul Bahn | $225 (ex. flights) |
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4 August 2023 | AXCC230804 | 4 August 2023 (Friday) | Dr Paul Bahn | $225 (ex. flights) |
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