From savanna to desert: animal engravings in the changing prehistoric environment of the Wadi al-Hayat, Libyan Sahara
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Date
29/06/2010Item status
Restricted AccessEmbargo end date
31/12/2100Author
Guagnin, Maria
Metadata
Abstract
Traditional stylistic classifications have not provided conclusive dates for the rock
art of the Sahara, and the imagery can therefore not be placed securely in its cultural
or environmental context. This thesis proposes a new methodology in which content
and patina of the engravings are used to establish a chronological sequence, against
the background of changing palaeoenvironmental conditions. This framework can
then be used to explore aspects of the relationship between the rock art and the
changing Holocene landscape.
The engravings of the Wadi al‐Hayat, which were recently recorded by the
Fezzan Rock Art Project, form the basis of this research. A total of 2466 images of
animals were individually analysed and entered into a database. The depicted
species are shown to reflect the local fauna, and their habitats coincide with the
palaeoclimatic conditions of the central Sahara. Additionally, recent
geomorphological analyses of the rock surfaces of the Messak provide a chronology
for the patina, and show that the formation of each type of patina was dependent on
environmental conditions. Through analyses of the animal engravings, categorised
according to positively identifiable species and patina types, this thesis
demonstrates a direct correlation between the content (i.e. species depicted) and
patina of the engravings, and the palaeoenvironment. Both content and patina of the
engravings indicate a development from wet savanna to dry savanna, and finally to
desert conditions, consistent with the Holocene climatic sequence. This provides a
chronological framework for the engravings and places them into a
palaeoenvironmental context. The locations of the engravings of each patina group
also correspond to the changing lake levels of the al‐Hayat palaeolake identified in
previous palaeoenvironmental research projects, which in turn supports the
chronology of the engravings.
Through spatial analyses, the locations and landscapes preferred by the
engravers for the creation of rock art can be identified, whilst the new chronological
sequence allows us to explore changes in the cultural conventions that underlie the
creation of the engravings. As well as providing a chronological framework and
environmental context for the engravings for the Wadi al‐Hayat, the research
presented in this thesis therefore has the potential to change our understanding of
Saharan rock art.