Coygan Cave

{{short description|Cave and archaeological site in the United Kingdom}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

{{Infobox ancient site

| name = Coygan Cave

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| map_type = UK Wales#United Kingdom

| map_alt = Coygan Cave

| map_caption = location in Wales

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| coordinates = {{coord|51|45|16|N|4|29|12|W|display=inline,title}}

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| location = near Laugharne

| region = Carmarthenshire, Wales

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| material = Karst

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Coygan Cave was an ossiferous cave near Laugharne in Carmarthenshire, Wales. The cave was about a mile from the sea and located in a limestone hillside, but has been destroyed by quarrying.{{Coflein|num=103399 |desc=Coygan Cave |access-date=30 September 2021}}

Although prehistoric handaxes were found in the cave, there were no human bones. Three triangular handaxes (bout coupé) suggested that the cave had been used by Neanderthals some time between 64,000 and 38,000 years BCE.Aldhouse-Green et al. 1995 These axes were made of local materials. The cave was subsequently a den for hyenas, and was described by zoologist George Rolleston, prior to his death in 1881, as "the most perfect instance of a hyena den" he had seen.Edward Laws, Little England Beyond Wales (1888). Rev G N Smith, a correspondent of Charles Darwin, collected many of the bone samples from the cave.[https://archive.org/stream/cavehuntingrese00dawkgoog/cavehuntingrese00dawkgoog_djvu.txt Cave hunting, researches on the evidence of caves respecting the early inhabitants of Europe] (1874), William Boyd Dawkins, p 289 Some of the finds are now held by the National Museum of Wales and others by Carmarthenshire County Museum.[http://education.gtj.org.uk/en/themeitems/8641 Gathering the Jewels - Theme: Coygan Cave, Carmarthenshire] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120709043617/http://education.gtj.org.uk/en/themeitems/8641 |date=2012-07-09 }}. Accessed 8 June 2014