Archaeologists from Macquarie University and the Polish Academy of Science’s Insтιтute of Mediterranean and Oriental Culture have unveiled a series of compelling discoveries in the Sudanese Eastern Desert, also known as the Atbai. This region, now one of the driest parts of the world, once thrived with lush greenery and abundant wildlife.

Ancient rock art features a herder and a cow in the Sudanese Eastern Desert. Credit: Cooper et al., The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (2024)

Archaeologists have discovered Sixteen new rock art sites in the Atbai Desert, dating back approximately 4,000 years, depicting cattle and other savannah fauna, a stark contrast to today’s arid environment. The rock art sites include detailed illustrations of humans, antelopes, elephants, giraffes, and notably, cattle.

Dr. Julien Cooper, a researcher at Macquarie University, led the team that uncovered these significant artifacts during the Atbai Survey Project conducted in 2018 and 2019. Dr. Cooper expressed astonishment at the presence of cattle carvings, noting, “It was puzzling to find cattle carved on desert rock walls as they require plenty of water and acres of pasture, and would not survive in the dry and arid environment of the Sahara today.”

The rock art provides crucial evidence supporting the theory of a once ‘green Sahara.’ These findings align with prior archaeological and climatic research that has suggested an ‘African humid period’ – a time characterized by increased summer monsoon rainfall that transformed the Sahara into a verdant landscape. This period began approximately 15,000 years ago and ended around 5,000 years ago. During this time, the Sahara was a grᴀssy savannah, dotted with lakes, rivers, swamps, and waterholes, sustaining a variety of wildlife and human activities such as cattle pastoralism.

Depictions of bull’s head on a pole from tomb U-J in Abydos. Credit: Cooper et al., The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (2024)

The artwork, created around 3,000 BCE, marks a pivotal moment when the once fertile Sahara began its transformation into the inhospitable desert we see today. The end of the African humid period brought about a drastic reduction in rainfall, leading to the desiccation of lakes and rivers. This environmental shift forced the ancient inhabitants of the region to abandon their traditional cattle herding practices.

“The Atbai Desert around Wadi Halfa, where the new rock art was discovered, became almost completely depopulated. For those who remained, cattle were abandoned for sheep and goats,” explained Dr. Cooper. This transition had profound impacts on the local human populations, affecting their diet, migratory patterns, and overall way of life.

Ancient rock art depicting boats, remarkably found miles away from the nearest body of water.Credit: Cooper et al., The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (2024)

The rock art sites depict not only cattle, which require significant water and pasture, but also boats, indicating the presence of substantial water bodies at the time. Dr. Cooper noted, “When you find these boats way out in the desert, then you have lots of follow-on questions. At this early prehistoric period, we have almost no evidence of Egyptians or Nubians going this far into the desert, and that’s why it was really unexpected to find this large scene of boats.”

Line drawing and orthopH๏τo of the boat tableau in the Sudanese Eastern Desert. Credit: Cooper et al., The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology (2024)

The rock art’s detailed carvings suggest that the creators spent a considerable amount of time in the area, further indicating that the region was once habitable and supportive of human life. The transition from a ‘Green Sahara’ to an arid desert not only altered the physical landscape but also had a significant impact on the cultural and social structures of the time. As the climate grew drier, many inhabitants were forced to migrate closer to the Nile, contributing to the formation of early urban states in Egypt and Nubia.

More information: Cooper, J., & Vanhulle, D. (2023). Rock Art Surveys in the Sudanese Eastern Desert: Results of the 2018–2019 Atbai Survey Project. The Journal of Egyptian Archaeology, 109(1-2), 189-208. doi:10.1177/03075133231211917