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Whale Cave

East Wemyss, Fife.

Raised beach sea cave

In this cave there are incised a rectangle symbol, a double-disc and two serpents (6-8th century).

Alternative Names: Sliding Cave, Sloping Cave

Notes: The Northern Picts team re-examined archaeological deposits in the Sliding Cave, first excavated by the Time Team in 2004. A radiocarbon date of 240-400AD from the original dig had provided tantalising evidence for the age of Pictish carvings in the cave. We hope new dates and analysis on material recovered this time around will refine the age of the Pictish carvings and shed light on what the cave was used for.

The Sliding Cave excavation was one of the few modern archaeological investigations

to take place inside the caves, and was carried out as part of Time Team excavations in

2004. Test pits inside Jonathan's Cave and the Well Cave were also excavated for the

programme. Jonathan's Cave revealed only natural and modern deposits. In the Well

Cave, a laminated deposit containing medieval or early modern pottery was recorded

in a sequence of otherwise natural and modern deposits. Deposits in both caves

showed evidence of considerable truncation and disturbance (Wessex Archaeology

2005).