The Sahara Desert Was Green Centuries Ago! Rock Art Findings in Sudanese Region Supports Flora Theory
The Sahara desert in its present form is not exactly an example of greenery. Though multiple researchers have claimed that the place was not always arid. It had a lush history, full of flora and fauna. This assertion was backed up by the findings of a rock art survey in eastern Sudan. The results were published in The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology.
During their examination, researchers spotted ancient rock artworks from 16 new sites in the middle of the Eastern Desert (also known as the Atbai). Archaeologists spotted figures like boats and cattle in the drawings. This surprised the experts because the location was far away from any water source. The nearest lake is at a distance of around 60 miles (97 kilometers) in the form of Lake Nubia, Live Science stated. Hence, the landscape is not ideal for raising livestock featured in the carvings such as the large-horned cattle.
Researchers believe rock art is very important because it reflects a link that experts would have otherwise missed because of present circumstances. "The cattle rock art is very significant, as cattle can no longer live in this hyper-arid desert," lead author Julien Cooper, an Egyptologist, Nubiologist, and archaeologist at Macquarie University in Sydney said. "It tells us that the people that made the art had a close connection to cattle." The artwork also features herders which implies that this land was once more hospitable to a variety of life forms, which it no longer supports.
Experts think that the rock arts are strong evidence for backing up the ‘green Sahara’ theory. "This is one of the best classes of evidence for establishing climate change in the region, a period which scientists call the 'African humid period,'" Cooper said. "In this period before 5,000 years ago, the Sahara was much wetter, and cattle herders roamed the deserts in search of pasture. Today, only hardier animals like camels and goats can survive in this desert." During this period, the Sahara hosted waterholes, rivers, lakes, and a variety of wildlife.
Researchers believe the artworks were made around 3,000 BCE, before the 'African monsoon,' a climatic phenomenon that changes the landscape of the Sahara desert, Archaeology Magazine stated. The effect made the environment dry and forced people to migrate to greener pastures. Areas like the Atbai desert were almost depopulated. "Scholars think that this was a watershed moment in the history of the wider region — some of these cattle herders remained in the desert but exchanged their cattle for hardier animals like goats, while others left the desert for the Nile where they would play part of the story of the formation of urban states in Egypt and Nubia. In short, this drying period is the most wide-reaching historical event in the prehistory of North Africa and changed societies irrevocably," Cooper explained, stated Live Science.
Researchers further stated that the person who made these arts possibly lived at the site for a long time. This assertion was made based on the fact that the drawings were chiseled into the rock. As far as the boat drawings are concerned, experts don't think they are describing real-life situations. It might be illustrating an impactful event in the then-community's history. "The boat art is quite different, and we think it has something to do with people from the Nile River who journeyed into the desert," Cooper said. "Some of these people may have also been riverine pastoralist herders who temporarily made the desert their home, while others may have journeyed into the desert in search of mineral wealth, particularly gold. At this stage, we cannot know for sure."