DJARA - dripstone cave
(Abu Muhariq Plateau, Egypt)

The area of Djara was occupied during the Holocene wet phase. Surface sites show intensive activities during this time period. 14C-dates from archaeological excavations indicate occupation events about 8600-6000 BP (uncalibrated). The dripstone cave of Djara was used by the occupiers indicated by numerous depictions of game and people. The pictures were engraved and/or picked. The panels with depictions were surveyed and documented during the ACACIA expeditions in 1999 and 2000.

(click to enlarge photos)
Entrance of the cave	The large hall	The hall of the gazelles with decorated stalagmite (panel A)	Picked human figure from panel A	Depictions of oryx (?) from panel A

Literature:

R. Kuper (1996) Between the Oases and the Nile - Djara: Rohlfs' cave in the Western Desert. In: L. Krzyzaniak/K. Kroeper/M. Kobusiewicz (eds.) Interregional Contacts in the Later Prehistory of Northeastern Africa. Studies in African Archaeology 5. Poznan: 81-91.

E. Claßen, K. Kindermann, A. Pastoors and H. Riemer (2001) Djara 90/1 - Felsbildhöhle und Fundplatz eines holozänen Gunstraums der Nordost-Sahara (Ägypten). Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt 2001.

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