Laas Geel ( so, Laas Geel), also spelled Laas Gaal, are cave formations on the rural outskirts of
Hargeisa
Hargeisa (; so, Hargeysa, ar, هرجيسا) is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Somaliland. It is located in the Maroodi Jeex region of the Horn of Africa. It succeeded Burco as the capital of the British Somaliland Protector ...
,
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
, situated in the
Maroodi Jeex
Marodi Jeh ( so, Maroodi Jeex, ar, مرودي جيح) is an administrative region ('' gobol'') in western Somaliland. It is the most populous region of the country. It is bordered by Awdal to the west, Sahil to the north, Togdheer to the eas ...
region of the country. They contain some of the earliest known
cave painting
In archaeology, Cave paintings are a type of parietal art (which category also includes petroglyphs, or engravings), found on the wall or ceilings of caves. The term usually implies prehistoric origin, and the oldest known are more than 40,000 ye ...
s of domesticated African
aurochs
The aurochs (''Bos primigenius'') ( or ) is an extinct cattle species, considered to be the wild ancestor of modern domestic cattle. With a shoulder height of up to in bulls and in cows, it was one of the largest herbivores in the Holocen ...
(''Bos primigenius africanus)'' in the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
. Laas Geel's rock art is estimated to date to circa 3,500-2,500 BC.
Discovery
During November and December 2002, an archaeological survey was carried out in
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
by a French team of researchers. The expedition's objective was to search for rock shelters and caves that contained archaeological sediments and infills in order to document the historical period when production economy appeared in this part of the
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa (HoA), also known as the Somali Peninsula, is a large peninsula and geopolitical region in East Africa.Robert Stock, ''Africa South of the Sahara, Second Edition: A Geographical Interpretation'', (The Guilford Press; 2004), ...
(circa
5,000 to
2,000 years BC). During the course of the survey, the excavation team discovered the Laas Geel
cave painting
In archaeology, Cave paintings are a type of parietal art (which category also includes petroglyphs, or engravings), found on the wall or ceilings of caves. The term usually implies prehistoric origin, and the oldest known are more than 40,000 ye ...
s, that encompass an area of ten rock alcoves (caves).
[The Journal of African Archeology Volume 1.2 (2003) Chapter 3] In an excellent state of preservation, the rock art depicts wild animals and decorated cattle (cows and bulls). They also feature herders, who are believed to be the creators of the paintings.
Laas Geel's rock art is executed in the same distinctive Ethiopian-Arabian style as the
Dhambalin
Dhambalin ("half, vertically cut mountain") is an archaeological site in the central Sahil province of Somaliland. The sandstone rock shelter contains rock art depicting various animals such as horned cattle and goats, as well as giraffes, an ani ...
and
Karinhegane cave paintings that are also situated in Somaliland.
Although the Laas Geel rock art had been known to the area's inhabitants for centuries, its existence only came to international attention after the 2002 discovery. In November 2003, a mission returned to Laas Geel and a team of experts undertook a detailed study of the paintings in their prehistoric context.
Somaliland
Somaliland,; ar, صوماليلاند ', ' officially the Republic of Somaliland,, ar, جمهورية صوماليلاند, link=no ''Jumhūrīyat Ṣūmālīlānd'' is a ''de facto'' sovereign state in the Horn of Africa, still conside ...
in general, is home to numerous such
archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology an ...
s and
megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea.
The ...
ic structures, with similar rock art found at Haadh, Gudmo Biyo Cas, Dhambalin, Dhagah Maroodi and numerous other sites, while ancient edifices are, among others, found at
Sheikh
Sheikh (pronounced or ; ar, شيخ ' , mostly pronounced , plural ' )—also transliterated sheekh, sheyikh, shaykh, shayk, shekh, shaik and Shaikh, shak—is an honorific title in the Arabic language. It commonly designates a chief of a ...
,
Aynabo
Aynaba, also spelt Ainabo, Ainaba or Aynabo ( so, Caynaba, ) is a major town in western Sool region of Somaliland as well as the administrative seat of the Aynaba District. Aynaba is known for its watering wells and for its good and abundant fresh ...
, Aw-Barkhadle, Ancient Amud,
Heis,
Maydh
Maydh (also transliterated as Mait or Meit) (, ) is an ancient port city in the eastern Sanaag region of Somaliland.
History
Antiquity
According to Augustus Henry Keane, Maydh represents an early center of dispersal of the Somali people. Nationa ...
,
Haylan
Haylan ( so, Heylaan), is a town in the eastern Sanaag region of Somaliland.
Overview
An old settlement, Haylan is the site of numerous ancient ruins and buildings, many of obscure origins. Northeastern Somalia in general is home to numero ...
,
Qa’ableh,
Qombo'ul
Qombo'ul ( so, Qumbucul) is a very old and historical town in the eastern Sanaag region of Somaliland.
Overview
Qombo'ul lies approximately 40 km east of Badhan, on the road to Bosaso and west of the town of Mindigale.
An old settlement t ...
and
El Ayo
El Ayo ( so, Ceelaayo, ar, عيلايو), also known as El Ayum, is a coastal town in the eastern Sanaag region of Somaliland, near the border with Somalia. There is a base of the Puntland Maritime Police Force, which is effectively controlled ...
. However, many of these old structures have yet to be properly explored, a process which would help shed further light on local history and facilitate their preservation for posterity.
[Michael Hodd, ''East African Handbook'', (Trade & Travel Publications: 1994), p.640.]
Description
The Laas Geel cave paintings are thought to be some of the most vivid rock art in
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
. Among other things, they depict cattle in ceremonial robes accompanied by humans, who are believed to have been inhabitants of the region. The necks of the cattle are embellished with a kind of
plastron. Some of the cattle are also portrayed wearing decorative robes. Besides long-horned
cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult mal ...
, the rock art also shows an image of a domesticated
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
, several paintings of
Canidae as well as a
giraffe
The giraffe is a large African hoofed mammal belonging to the genus ''Giraffa''. It is the tallest living terrestrial animal and the largest ruminant on Earth. Traditionally, giraffes were thought to be one species, ''Giraffa camelopardalis ...
.
The site is excellently preserved due to the location of the paintings which are covered by the granite overhangs.
Gallery
File:Laas Geel single cow.jpg, Depiction of a ceremonial cow
File:Laas Geel cow and human.jpg, A human and cow
File:Laas Geel cow herd.jpg, A herd of cows
File:Laas Geel single cow2.jpg, A single cow
File:Laas Geel alcove.jpg, One of the alcoves at Laas Geel
File:Laas Gaal in Somaliland.jpg, Various rock art
File:Laas Geel rock paintings.JPG, Various other rock art
File:LaasGeel.jpg, A camel
The word laas geel consist of two words according to Somali languages which is laas and geel, the word laas means well and the word geel means camel in Somali. Well refers to a source of water which camels and other livestock drink from as well as the people.
See also
*
Caves in Somaliland
Somaliland has many caves, some of which remain undiscovered. Such is the quality of the paintings that at least 10 sites, scattered across semi-desert terrain, are likely to be given World Heritage status.
The complex cave and rock shelters of L ...
*
Dhambalin
Dhambalin ("half, vertically cut mountain") is an archaeological site in the central Sahil province of Somaliland. The sandstone rock shelter contains rock art depicting various animals such as horned cattle and goats, as well as giraffes, an ani ...
*
Dhaymoole
Dhaymoole is an archaeological site in the Sahil province of Somaliland. The walls of the cave are full of infilled and outlined white camels, unidentified quadrupeds and symbols. Most of the quadrupeds are schematic and depicted upright facing ...
*
History of Somaliland
The history of Somaliland, a country in the eastern Horn of Africa bordered by the Gulf of Aden, and the East African land mass, begins with human habitation tens of thousands of years ago. It includes the civilizations of Punt, the Ottomans, a ...
References
External links
CyArk - Rock Art Sites of Somalia
{{Portalbar, Somaliland
Archaeological sites in Somaliland
Caves of Somaliland
Rock art in Africa
Prehistoric Africa