  location in Wales Show map of Wales Coygan Cave (the United Kingdom) Show map of the United Kingdom | |
| Location | nearLaugharne |
|---|---|
| Region | Carmarthenshire,Wales |
| Coordinates | 51°45′16″N4°29′12″W / 51.75444°N 4.48667°W /51.75444; -4.48667 |
| History | |
| Material | Karst |
Coygan Cave was an ossiferouscave nearLaugharne inCarmarthenshire,Wales. The cave was about a mile from the sea and located in alimestone hillside, but has been destroyed byquarrying.[1]
Although prehistorichandaxes were found in the cave, there were no human bones. Three triangular handaxes (bout coupé) suggested that the cave had been used byNeanderthals some time between 64,000 and 38,000 years BCE.[2] These axes were made of local materials. The cave was subsequently a den forhyenas, and was described by zoologistGeorge Rolleston, prior to his death in 1881, as "the most perfect instance of a hyena den" he had seen.[3] Rev G N Smith, a correspondent ofCharles Darwin, collected many of the bone samples from the cave.[4] Some of the finds are now held by theNational Museum of Wales and others byCarmarthenshire County Museum.[5]