Ashton I

Brief description of site: RSA-ASH1 I is a large high, domed and west-facing shelter located overlooking the well-known RSA-RSS1 serpent site but on the next band of sandstone up. The site is bilobial and is 8 m long, 6 m deep and up to 5 m high with rock blocs and debris capping a gently sloping floor. There is little to no vegetation in or near the site. The sound of the river echoes noticeably within the site.

The deposit is very rough and granular and not deep - less than 25 cm. There is a very good surface scatter of stone tools or lithics made of crypto-crystalline silicates - many of which show signs of fire-crazing. These lithics belong the Later Stone Age (c. 25 000 years ago - Historic times).
Brief description of art: There is a sparse 150 cm x 40 cm image cluster in the northern end of the site. There is a large 50 cm + faded red bulky animal painted in red. A smaller but much smaller buck-like animal is painted in light red above it. There is a red 'flying buck' above this group. A large vertical tear in the rock separates the animals from a dance of at least 8 human figures in red and white: 4 are shown running with split legs; 4 bend forward at the waist; 1 human draws a bow and has noticeable penis, and 1 human has its arms back. These two image clusters probably connect. Down low are 4 red and white human figures, 3 red animals - one an equid and one very thin with thin r tassel-like emanations. Very low down in a natural arch in the rock is a cluster of 3 gracile red ?rhebuck and 4 red human figures; possibly dancing.3