DOI issue:
Egypt
DOI article:Krzyżaniak, Lech: Dakhleh Oasis: research on petroglyphs, 2000
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41368#0259
DAKHLEH OASIS
EGYPT
RECORDING OF SITE 67
The Petroglyph Unit also embarked upon
a systematic recording of Winkler's site
67, which had been relocated during our
initial seasons in the Eastern Dakhleh.
Similarly to other petroglyph sites noted
by Winkler, site 67 is composed of a
cluster of sandstone hills and outcrops of
different size and form, surrounding in
part a small pan-like expanse. In his work
of more than sixty years ago Winkler
appears to have published only a selection
of the petroglyphs from this site.5) Since
the petroglyph documentation appears to
be lacking, a detailed recording of this site
has now been undertaken.
Most of the petroglyphs from the site
once published by Winkler have been
rediscovered. They represent exclusively
the “classical” period in the development
of Dakhleh rock art, referred to by Winkler
as the “Earliest Hunters” and “Earliest
Oasis Dwellers”.6) The most characteristic
ones include images of female-shaped
figures, “goddesses”, as well as numerous
wild animals.
It was also possible to locate again an
unique petroglyph executed on a flat piece
of stone (art mobillier) showing a row of
humans with one much larger person in
their center (wearing a head-mask ?), ap-
parently a scene of men dancing, holding
each other by the hands, and with an
important person in their midst {Fig. 7).
Another relocated petroglyph from this
site, also published by Winkler, seems to
show men with their long-horned cattle,
perhaps being led in a ceremonial ritual
{Fig. 8). The recording of this rich site -
perhaps the richest among the sites found
by Winkler — will be continued next season.
The fieldwork carried out so far in the
Eastern Dakhleh clearly indicates that the
Oasis is one of the richest and most
important centers of rock art in the
Eastern Sahara. The season also shed more
light on petroglyphs in the Oasis dated to
the different periods of dynastic Egypt by
their stylistic and thematic similarities to
the art of the Nile Valley. It is planned,
therefore, to continue fieldwork in the fall
of 2002 with the objective of continuing
the survey and the systematic recording of
Winkler's sites. It is also hoped that the
results of this work will provide the
Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities
with data that will be useful for the
protection and management of the
Dakhleh petroglyphs.
5) Winkler, op. cit., 8.
6) Winkler, op. cit., 27-34.
257
EGYPT
RECORDING OF SITE 67
The Petroglyph Unit also embarked upon
a systematic recording of Winkler's site
67, which had been relocated during our
initial seasons in the Eastern Dakhleh.
Similarly to other petroglyph sites noted
by Winkler, site 67 is composed of a
cluster of sandstone hills and outcrops of
different size and form, surrounding in
part a small pan-like expanse. In his work
of more than sixty years ago Winkler
appears to have published only a selection
of the petroglyphs from this site.5) Since
the petroglyph documentation appears to
be lacking, a detailed recording of this site
has now been undertaken.
Most of the petroglyphs from the site
once published by Winkler have been
rediscovered. They represent exclusively
the “classical” period in the development
of Dakhleh rock art, referred to by Winkler
as the “Earliest Hunters” and “Earliest
Oasis Dwellers”.6) The most characteristic
ones include images of female-shaped
figures, “goddesses”, as well as numerous
wild animals.
It was also possible to locate again an
unique petroglyph executed on a flat piece
of stone (art mobillier) showing a row of
humans with one much larger person in
their center (wearing a head-mask ?), ap-
parently a scene of men dancing, holding
each other by the hands, and with an
important person in their midst {Fig. 7).
Another relocated petroglyph from this
site, also published by Winkler, seems to
show men with their long-horned cattle,
perhaps being led in a ceremonial ritual
{Fig. 8). The recording of this rich site -
perhaps the richest among the sites found
by Winkler — will be continued next season.
The fieldwork carried out so far in the
Eastern Dakhleh clearly indicates that the
Oasis is one of the richest and most
important centers of rock art in the
Eastern Sahara. The season also shed more
light on petroglyphs in the Oasis dated to
the different periods of dynastic Egypt by
their stylistic and thematic similarities to
the art of the Nile Valley. It is planned,
therefore, to continue fieldwork in the fall
of 2002 with the objective of continuing
the survey and the systematic recording of
Winkler's sites. It is also hoped that the
results of this work will provide the
Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities
with data that will be useful for the
protection and management of the
Dakhleh petroglyphs.
5) Winkler, op. cit., 8.
6) Winkler, op. cit., 27-34.
257