DOI Heft:
Sudan
DOI Artikel:Kuciewicz, Ewa: Rock art research in the fourth cataract region: preliminary report
DOI Seite / Zitierlink: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42092#0460
SHEMKHIYA
SUDAN
ROCK ART RESEARCH IN THE
FOURTH CATARACT REGION
PRELIMINARY REPORT
Ewa Kuciewicz
The research on petroglyphs in the con-
cession of the Polish Centre of Mediter-
ranean Archaeology of the University of
Warsaw in the Fourth Cataract region took
place on 7-16 December 2006.1 Based on
an earlier prospection of the region,2 the
present reconnaissance covered territory
HAGAR EL-BEIDA AND
The reconnaissance located already known
sites, as well as several previously unnoted
ones, making up two of the above-
mentioned clusters.
JEBEL EL-KITABA
The first of the clusters is located on
a single, relatively massive eminence
situated on the southern side of the wadi
leading into the Nile valley. It is character-
istically grandiose, towering over the
surrounding landscape. The hard granite is
heavily scratched and incised, the lines
parallel and crossing at various angles
[Fig. 1, top left}. Other geometrical
symbols like squares with diagonals, cross
marks, etc., are rare and figural represen-
around Hagar el-Beida and Gamamiya, as
well as on Jebel Gurgurib, close to
Shemkhiya. Three clusters of rock art sites
were discovered, significantly different
when form and function are taken into
consideration. The data will help to plan
further research in the region.
GAMAMIYA REGIONS
tations are nonexistent. Different degrees of
patination of the lines and incisions demon-
strate activity over a considerably long
period of time.
The awesome landscape and the general
character of the glyphs inevitably bring to
mind a contingent ritual function. Ap-
parently the place still holds meaning for
local inhabitants and ethnographical studies
may well provide an explanation of its
significance.
WADI EL-KHINEISH
Rock art sites previously identified in the
el-Gamamiya region (Chlodnicki et alii
2007: 343-345) now proved to be part of
a bigger body of sites spreading over
1 Carried out by the present author within the framework of the PCMA expedition directed by Bogdan T. Zurawski.
2 A preliminary survey of the Shemkhiya area had been conducted earlier in the year by Karol Piasecki; for his remarks
on this prospection, see above, contribution in this volume. Information on the presence and general location of rock
art in the region was also passed on by ethnographer Piotr Malinski.
457
SUDAN
ROCK ART RESEARCH IN THE
FOURTH CATARACT REGION
PRELIMINARY REPORT
Ewa Kuciewicz
The research on petroglyphs in the con-
cession of the Polish Centre of Mediter-
ranean Archaeology of the University of
Warsaw in the Fourth Cataract region took
place on 7-16 December 2006.1 Based on
an earlier prospection of the region,2 the
present reconnaissance covered territory
HAGAR EL-BEIDA AND
The reconnaissance located already known
sites, as well as several previously unnoted
ones, making up two of the above-
mentioned clusters.
JEBEL EL-KITABA
The first of the clusters is located on
a single, relatively massive eminence
situated on the southern side of the wadi
leading into the Nile valley. It is character-
istically grandiose, towering over the
surrounding landscape. The hard granite is
heavily scratched and incised, the lines
parallel and crossing at various angles
[Fig. 1, top left}. Other geometrical
symbols like squares with diagonals, cross
marks, etc., are rare and figural represen-
around Hagar el-Beida and Gamamiya, as
well as on Jebel Gurgurib, close to
Shemkhiya. Three clusters of rock art sites
were discovered, significantly different
when form and function are taken into
consideration. The data will help to plan
further research in the region.
GAMAMIYA REGIONS
tations are nonexistent. Different degrees of
patination of the lines and incisions demon-
strate activity over a considerably long
period of time.
The awesome landscape and the general
character of the glyphs inevitably bring to
mind a contingent ritual function. Ap-
parently the place still holds meaning for
local inhabitants and ethnographical studies
may well provide an explanation of its
significance.
WADI EL-KHINEISH
Rock art sites previously identified in the
el-Gamamiya region (Chlodnicki et alii
2007: 343-345) now proved to be part of
a bigger body of sites spreading over
1 Carried out by the present author within the framework of the PCMA expedition directed by Bogdan T. Zurawski.
2 A preliminary survey of the Shemkhiya area had been conducted earlier in the year by Karol Piasecki; for his remarks
on this prospection, see above, contribution in this volume. Information on the presence and general location of rock
art in the region was also passed on by ethnographer Piotr Malinski.
457