The Legless Ladies of Creswell Crags [audio 15min]

Over a series of five programmes, archaeologist Dr George Nash of Bristol University visits five rock art sites in England, Wales, Ireland, Portugal and Italy, to attempt to unravel the real, hidden meaning of rock art. Who creates rock art, and why? Can our present day graffiti artists provide some clues? In Programme One, "The Legless Ladies of Creswell Crags", George Nash explores Church Hole cave on the former estate of the Duke of Portland, at Creswell Crags, North East Derbyshire, England. Sheffield archaeologist Dr Paul Pettitt shows him some of his recent discoveries from the cave -- spectacular carvings including prehistoric red deer, human figures and geometric designs. These were carved before the first farmers harvested their crops at a time when advanced hunter/fisher/gatherers were roaming the landscape. These marks on the cave wall may just look like a random set of lines but archaeologists believe that the boomerang shapes with triangles at the centre actually represent women. In order to carve them the artist would have had to be down on his hands and knees and working upside down as the images are close to the original floor level of the cave. But who was creating this rock art and why? And what is the modern equivalent? Can modern graffiti artists such as Banksy help us understand ancient rock art?