Archaeologists have uncovered remains dating back to the Bronze Age in a cave in the Yorkshire Dales.
Evidence found by the Historic Environment Team of Yorkshire Dales National Park, as well as from the University of Central Lancashire has hinted towards its use as a human burial site during the Neolithic period.
The discoveries have shed light on how those living and farming in the Dales at the time used the caves.
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Researchers working alongside spelunkers discovered the remnants of an aurochs while surveying a number of caves and sinkholes near Ingleborough.
Aurochs are widely regarded as the wild ancestor of modern cattle and were found across Europe.
Habitat loss and hunting wiped the species out in the 17th Century.
Domesticated cattle remains, however, have helped scientists work out when the land started to be used for agriculture.
Remains of a wild boar skull excavated from one of the cave sites
|YORKSHIRE DALES NATIONAL PARK
Those who found the discovery were working on the Ingleborough Cave Archaeology Project, part of a £3million scheme bankrolled by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The scheme hopes to secure the future of upland commons in the Yorkshire Dales, Dartmoor, the Lake District and the Shropshire Hills.
Ingleborough is one of the few remaining places in the UK where "commoning" traditions are still used.
Around a dozen farmers use the land under rights dating back to the magna carta to graze sheep.
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Those who found the discovery were working on the Ingleborough Cave Archaeology Project
|PA
Claire Braeburn, the project officer, said: "Ingleborough has a longstanding history as common land, so we wanted to see if the caves held evidence of just how long humans began farming on the fell.
"Over half of England was common land, but now it's just three per cent.
"This project has helped us understand more about human interaction with the common and the land's longstanding biodiversity.
"It has shown how important preserving these ancient practices is or we risk losing them forever."
The discovery also reiterated the importance of cavers when trying to discover underground history as some sites require specialist skills to access.
Rick Peterson, a caving archaeologist at the University of Central Lancashire said: "It's often experienced local cavers who are the first to encounter archaeological finds such as these as they are the only ones who can access the caves.
"This partnership now ensures that any discoveries made during recreational caving are officially documented."