The Early Upper Palaeolithic in British caves: problems and potential

Recent years have seen landmark progress in our understanding of early Homo sapiens occupation of Europe, owing to new excavations and the application of new analytical methods. Research on British sites, however, continues to lag. This is because of limitations inherent in existing cave collections, and limited options for new fieldwork at known sites. Some of these limitations are described here. In the light of this, recent work at the new Early Upper Palaeolithic site of Wogan Cavern (Pembrokeshire) is outlined. Initial observations indicate a significant quantity of intact sediments and high‐quality archaeological deposits amenable to modern research methods.