58 



R.I. MACPHAIL AND P. GOLDBERG 



Table 2 Tentative summary of sedimentary activity in Gough's Cave as reconstructed from soil micromorhpology. 



Age ( 14 C yrs 

 bp x 1000) 



Period 



Deposition 



Post-Deposition 



Comments 



9 











10 



Early Holocene 



Formation of stalagmite and 

 frog bone-rich muds in the 

 Sand Hole 



Stalagmite formation. 



Climatic amelioration 

 associated with warm and 

 moist conditions (cf. frogs). 



11-10 



Loch Lomond Stadial 

 (Younger Dryas) 



Accumulation of breccia 

 sediments in Sand Hole 



Patchy formation of banded 

 fabric and link capping, 

 accompanied in places by 

 physical mixing. Washing of 

 impure clay into voids. 



Renewal of cold conditions 

 leading to freezing and 

 thawing associated with 

 increased meltwater activity. 



13 to 11 



Windermere Interstadial 

 (Bolling/Allerod) 



Upward fining sequence 

 from gravels and sands 

 through to the Red Silt; 

 deposition of mud in the 

 Sand Hole 



Ephemeral biological 

 activity producing channels 

 and vughs. 



Localized ice lensing in the 

 lowermost Red Silt. 



Increased moderation in 

 climate. 



Diminishing phreatic flow, 

 possibly accompanied by ice- 

 lensing in the early stages 



16 to 13 



Devensian (Oldest 

 Dryas) 



Formation of Conglomerate 





Cryoclastic activity 

 accompanied by high energy 

 phreatic flow. 



