Rock Art

Rock Drawings

Previous surveys in Lower Nubia have recorded many 1000s of rock drawings of many periods. The rocky landscape of the Third Cataract is similarly marked by numerous rock drawings, some in large groups, others occurring singly. Major concentrations are to be found around the lower end of the Third Cataract at Sabu and Jebel Wahaba, and also around Jebel Gorgod, some 20km to the north near Sesi. Other clusters have been noted on Arduan island, but isolated drawings may often be found on prominent boulders and rocky hillsides throughout the region.

Dating such drawings is often problematic. Some depictions of large fauna (elephants, giraffe etc) seem likely to be of prehistoric date, but how early remains uncertain. The apparent sparsity of Neolithic settlement in this part of Nubia (and areas further north) might suggest that most such drawings date to the 3rd-2nd millennia BC. A similar date may be suggested for many of the (abundant) drawings of cattle.

A unusually finely executed drawing of an elephant from Masida (site 91/52, station b), among rocky outcrops surrounding Jebel Barja .

One of the largest group of rock drawings are found at Sabu, close to the lower end of the Third Cataract, opposite Kajbar. These include numerous drawings of boats (see below), many drawings of cattle and wild animals (elephant/ giraffe/antelope/gazelle), several Pharaonic grafitti as well as many drawings clearly of medieval or later date. The main groups have now been recorded although a full documentation of all the drawings has yet to be undertaken..