Laas Gaal
Laas Gaal Somali: (Laas Geel) is a complex of caves and rock shelters in Somaliland, a self-declared republic that is internationally recognized as an autonomous region of Somalia. Famous for their rock art, the caves are located in a rural area on the outskirts of Hargeisa, and contain some of the earliest known cave paintings in the Horn of Africa and the African continent in general. Laas Gaal's rock art is estimated to date back to somewhere between 9,000–8,000 and 3,000 BCE.
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[edit] Introduction
The Laas Geel site contains granite caves sheltering about ten rock alcoves decorated with Neolithic cave paintings. The caves are located outside Hargeisa, in an area encompassing a nomadic village, the Naasa Hablood hills. The site overlooks a wide district of countryside, where nomads graze their livestock and wild antelopes roam the vast landscape.
The local nomads used the caves as a shelter when it rained and never paid much attention to the paintings. The site is now guarded by the local villagers.
[edit] Discovery
During November and December 2002, an archaeological survey was carried out by a French team in Somalia. The reason for this was to search for rock shelters and caves containing stratified archaeological infills capable of documenting the period when production economy appeared in this part of the Horn of Africa (circa 5,000 and 2,000 BCE). During the course of the survey, the French archaeological team discovered the Laas Geel cave paintings, encompassing an area of ten rock alcoves (caves). The paintings, in an excellent state of preservation, show ancient humans of the area raising their hands and worshipping humpless cows with large lyre-shaped horns.[1] However, the rock art had been known to the local Somali people for centuries before the French discovery. Yet, the existence of the sites had not been broadcast to the international community. In November 2003, a mission returned to Laas Geel and a team of experts undertook a detailed study of the paintings and their prehistoric context.
There are a number of other sites in the area around Hargeisa with similar cave paintings.[citation needed]
[edit] Description
The cave paintings are thought to be some of the best preserved in Africa. The paintings represent cows in ceremonial robes accompanied by stocky humans (believed to be inhabitants of the region). The necks of the cows are embellished with a kind of plastron, some of the cows are even wearing decorative robes. The paintings not only show cows, there are also an image of a domesticated dog, several paintings of canidae and even a giraffe.[1]
[edit] Miscellaneous
The paintings are well preserved; even with the history of Somalia wars, natural weathering, animals and other factors, the paintings have survived intact and retain their clear outlines and vibrant colors.
There has been little international publicity of the Laas Geel cave paintings and the paintings have been threatened by people coming to the caves for recreational purposes. The paintings are now part of the future tourist attractions in the area once stability returns to the region.
Simon Reeve visited the cave paintings as part of his television programme Places That Don't Exist. Amazed at the excellent preservation and vibrant colors of the paintings, he said that "Laas Ga'al, it transpires, is probably the most significant Neolithic rock painting site in the whole of Africa" and that "few people know that Somalia is home to such treasures." The late Osman Bile Ali, who showed Reeve the site, described the Laas Geel cave paintings as beautiful.[2]
[edit] Gallery
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Depiction of a ceremonial cow
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a human and cow
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a herd of cows
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one of the alcoves at Laas Gaal
