Polish Archaeology in the Mediterranean (18.2006(2008))

SHEMKHIYA

SUDAN

Most of the drawings are from twenty
some to fifty centimeters. A few represen-
tations, the ones that are less well visible
and undoubtedly older, exceeded a meter
and in a few cases of assemblages of glyphs,
5 m in size. The drawings were executed in
a variety of techniques, but with a pre-
dominance of the linear one, using stone
punches, mostly made of quartzite [Fig. 3].
The degree of patina and the superposition
of some drawings combine with stylistic
differences to indicate chronological
variation. Some glyphs were damaged
intentionally, others were re-made. At least
some of the drawings may be modern in
date.
Altogether more than half a thousand
drawings were identified. Most of these —
more than 300 — were images of camels,
some even with riders [Fig. 2, top], and

representations of cows [Fig. 2, bottom left].
Horses are much less frequent — only a few
dozen images, including two with riders
[Fig. 4]. There are four presumed represen-


Fig. 4■ Fiorse and rider glyph (Site KP 4)
(Photo K. Piasecki)


Fig. 3. Stone punches, the middle one of quartzite, stuck in a crack after making a glyph (Site KP 8)
(Photo K. Piasecki)

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