Medieval ‘witch marks’ carved into cave wall to ward off evil found – and you can go on virtual tour of ‘cave to hell’
'WITCH markings' carved into a UK cave centuries ago will now be accessible to the public thanks to 3D modelling.
The marks, which are thought to have been drawn to 'ward off evil', were discovered earlier this year in Creswell Crags limestone gorge in Nottinghamshire.
Creswell Crags has a long history dating back to the Ice Age when it was thought to house humans.
However, it wasn't until the medieval periods that superstitious humans started to cover its walls and ceiling with so-called witch marks.
Experts think this was a practice done to protect against the evil spirits and witches that people would blame for things going wrong in a world they didn't quite understand.
A few of the cave markings were initially overlooked as modern graffiti but an investigation earlier this year revealed hundreds that seemed much older.
A lot of the marks are similar to those often found etched into doorways, windows and fireplaces of old buildings.
The gorge chamber with the most witch marks is inaccessible to the public.
Experts think the marks were carved into the cave walls between the 16th and 19th centuries.
It's unknown why the cave was chosen for so many layers of protective markings but it's possible that local people feared evil or underworld spirits may leak out of it.
UK mysteries 'solved' by archaeology
Here are some of the most exciting discoveries that have happened in Britain...
- Richard III final resting place: The skeleton of King Richard III was discovered by archaeologists in a supermarket carpark in Leicester in 2013
- How Stonehenge was built: The huge monoliths that make up Stonehenge may have been dragged there using greasy sledges lubricated with pig fat, according to new research from Newcastle University
- Why there were 39 decapited skulls at the London Wall: Skulls discovered within the boundaries of ancient London back in 1988 are now believed to have belonged to gladiators who were beheaded for amusement purposes thanks to a recent reassessment of the remains
- Queen Emma's remains: The lost bones belonging to an 11th-century English queen called Queen Emma are believed to have been found in a chest in Winchester Cathedral
In other archaeology news, the mystery over who built Stonehenge may finally be solved after experts uncover ‘Britain’s first city’ a mile away.
The face of a 1,000-year-old Viking warrior woman with a gruesome battle wound across her skull has been revealed.
And, archaeologists were baffled when they discovered this eerie Ancient Egyptian ‘cat mummy’ had five legs and three tails.
What do you think of the witch carvings? Let us know in the comments...
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