I · THE OBJECT · BRITISH MUSEUM

Kendrick's Cave Decorated Horse Jaw

Prehistoric Britain · 8th century BC · Bone

▶ Listen · narrated

This art was created by people who had lived through the most recent Ice Age. The climate change they witnessed was as dramatic as anything humanity has experienced or will ever experience again.

At a glance

Culture: British Museum
Location: British Museum
Material: Bone

Look closer

Horse jaw, not just a tooth
The object is a horse mandible. The animal's teeth are still in the bone. The lower jaw has been cut and decorated to resemble an animal head at one end.
Artwork from Ice Age Britain
This is the oldest known piece of portable art found in Wales, made when this area was near the frontline of a melting ice sheet. It dates back to around 10,000 years ago; at that time, the British Isles were home to reindeer and wolves.
No one knows exactly what it means
It is not known whether the object was made for ritual or practical purposes. The decorative features do not have a direct parallel in other cave art from this time, and its significance remains unclear.

The story

The Kendrick's Cave Decorated Horse Jaw is an archaeological find that was discovered by Thomas Kendrick at Kendrick's Cave in Llandudno, Wales. The jawbone of a horse has been carved into the shape of an animal head. It represents some of the finest portable artwork from the late Ice Age period found in Britain.

It is also one of the oldest known pieces of portable art from Wales. This object was created around 81th century BC during the Upper Palaeolithic era, a time when the climate was changing rapidly as the last Ice Age came to an end. The British Isles at that time were home to different species than they are today — reindeer and wolves, for example.

The jawbone has been cut and decorated to resemble an animal head at one end. This decoration does not have a direct parallel in other cave art from this time, making its significance unclear. It is not known whether the object was made for ritual or practical purposes.

Why it mattered then

For people living during the late Ice Age, climate change was a constant presence. The world was warming, and so much of the landscape was changing rapidly. This was a period of dramatic environmental shifts — glaciers were melting, sea levels were rising, and plant and animal life were adapting to new conditions. In this context, portable art such as the Kendrick's Cave Decorated Horse Jaw may have served multiple purposes, from ritualistic significance to everyday practical uses.

Why it matters now

The Kendrick's Cave Decorated Horse Jaw offers valuable insights into the lives of people who lived during the late Ice Age. It provides a glimpse into the art and culture of prehistoric Britain, and it helps us understand how early humans adapted to dramatic climate change. By studying this object, we can learn about the creative expressions and practical adaptations of our ancestors during a time of significant environmental upheaval.

The surprising detail

The jaw was found by Thomas Kendrick, a lapidarist, in 1880 at Kendrick's Cave, Llandudno, Wales. It now forms part of the Christy Collection in the British Museum, where it is normally on display in Room 2. In 2013, it was displayed in the exhibition Ice Age Art: Arrival of the Modern Mind.

How it got here

The Kendrick's Cave Decorated Horse Jaw was acquired by the British Museum in 1959. It is part of the Christy Collection, which includes a variety of archaeological finds from around the world.

Remember this

One jawbone has two purposes and represents a moment of rapid climate change that changed how people live with the earth

Test yourself

How might understanding this object help us understand climate change today?

Go deeper

Image: Johnbod, CC BY-SA 3.0. Licence: CC BY-SA 3.0. Source.

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