Members of the local press were this morning given exclusive access to the unique Neanderthal engraving in Gorham’s Cave.

A routine press call to inspect the various improvements to access routes leading to Gorham’s and Vanguard Caves took a surprising twist as Museum Director Professor Clive Finlayson invited the press to pass beyond a security gate to get better acquainted with this archaeologically significant find.

The marks are the only existing examples of engravings created by Neanderthals. The cross pattern has been compared to the hashtag sign and some have gone as far as calling them a primitive form of art. The Museum team don’t go as far as this and keep to the known facts: the marks were done intentionally and do not appear to have been the side effect of cutting or tool making.

A paper published by Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, presented the discovery in September last year.

Franchesco d’Errico of the University of Bordeaux, came across the engraving during a long-term excavation of Gorham’s Cave.

Work continues this summer with archaeological teams delicately sifting through the different layers of soil and sediment in a slow but fascinating process that continues to present an increasingly detailed picture of Neanderthal life.