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Ogof Arian Cave is a prehistoric cave situated in Wales within a landscape of Early Carboniferous limestone. The bedrock comprises predominantly limestone with interstratified claystone and siltstone deposits characteristic of the Early Carboniferous period. This geology shaped the formation of the cave through the dissolution of limestone by acidic groundwater over thousands of years, creating a natural shelter that attracted human occupation in prehistoric times.
The cave's position within the limestone landscape made it an ideal refuge for Palaeolithic and Mesolithic peoples exploiting the surrounding upland and valley resources. Caves formed in similar limestone geology across Wales have yielded evidence of occupation spanning from the late Ice Age through the post-glacial period. Ogof Arian's potential archaeological significance lies in its capacity to preserve organic remains and artefactual deposits within stable cave sediments.
The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments service, under reference AN106. This designation ensures that the cave's archaeological and geological features are safeguarded for future research and understanding of Wales's prehistoric heritage.
Ogof Arian Cave is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference AN106. View the official record →
Ogof Arian Cave is a prehistoric cave situated in Wales within a landscape of Early Carboniferous limestone. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference AN106.
Ogof Arian Cave dates from the prehistoric period, and is classified as a cave. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Ogof Arian Cave is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is AN106.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Parciau Hillfort (3.6 km), Bodafon Mountain Early Medieval Homestead (3.7 km), Parciau Dovecote (4.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Ogof Arian Cave's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Ogof Arian Cave stands on Early Carboniferous limestone, bedrock that formed in the Early Carboniferous. The rock here is major:{limestone}, Minor{claystone,siltstone}.