About the Group

The Cave Archaeology Group (CAG) works to help cavers, archaeologists, museum professionals and the public explore, interpret and look after archaeological and palaeontological remains in and around caves. We aim to promote working relationships between these groups and to encourage a transfer of education and skills, leading to a better understanding between individuals, groups and disciplines.

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Caves are unique and fragile environments, holding important records of environmental and cultural change. Some have been used by humans for leisure, burial and ritual purposes for thousands of years. All the major caving areas of Britain have caves of archaeological interest, with deposits dating from before the last Ice Age through to the Medieval and modern periods.

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CAG was launched in 2012 following a two-year series of meetings and lectures, working under the banner of the Upland Caves Network. This was organised by Dr Hannah O’Regan, then of Liverpool John Moores University, with funding by the Arts and Humanities Research Council. This discussion group brought together people with a common interest in caves, including cavers, geologists, archaeologists, biologists, palaeontologists and museum curators.

 

The group doesn’t have a formal structure, and anyone is welcome to get involved or to suggest an activity through the joining link at the bottom of the page. We aim to run a cave archaeology session every year at Hidden Earth and to contribute regularly to the Cave Science Symposium. We are also planning to organise yearly field-trips and study events. We currently maintain this website (contact for website queries Rick Peterson) and a Facebook page (contact for Facebook queries Linda Wilson)