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Regional Variation of the Rock Art of Ethiopia: a Geological Perspective

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Abstract

Rock art in Ethiopia is concentrated in the north, east, south, and south-central part of the country. Previous investigations focused on description and stylistic distribution of the art. A closer look at the mode of rendering the art allows grouping sites into three distinct assemblages: the northern assemblage of paintings and engravings, the eastern and southern assemblage of paintings, and the south-central assemblage of carvings. These paintings/engravings/carvings are executed mostly on sedimentary rocks (sandstone or limestone), but also on granite. The rock type on which art is depicted is not the most important factor for the type represented. Other avenues must be looked into to explain differences in the types of rock art distribution, as the striking inter-regional difference in rendering the rock art might epitomize specific culture areas.

Résumé

L’art rupestre en Ethiopie est. principalement concentré dans le nord, l’est., le sud et le centre-sud du pays. Des recherches antérieures portaient sur la description et la distribution stylistique de l’art. Un regard plus attentif sur le mode de rendu de l’art permet de les regrouper en trois assemblages distincts: l’assemblage nord des peintures et des gravures, l’assemblage oriental et sud des peintures et l’assemblage central-sud des sculptures. Ces peintures / gravures / sculpture sont exécutées sur grès ou le calcaire et rarement sur le granit. Le type de roche sur lequel ces art rupestres sont représentés n’est. pas le facteur le plus important pour le type d’art rupestre représenté. D’autres approches doivent être examinées pour expliquer les différences dans la distribution des types d’art rupestre, car la frappante différence interrégionale dans la représentation de l’art rupestre pourrait incarner une zone de culture spécifique.

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Acknowledgements

Thanks are due to the Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage, the government body that oversees archaeological research in the country, for permits. I also thank Dr. Temesgen Nigus for logistical support, Ato Haileyesus Negga for translating the abstract into French, and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments that were helpful in improving the original manuscript.

Funding

Partial funding for fieldwork at some of sites was kindly provided by the L. S. B. Leakey and Wenner-Gren Foundations.

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  1. Paleoanthropology and Paleoenvironment Program, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box 80031, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Agazi Negash

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  1. Agazi Negash
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Correspondence to Agazi Negash.

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Negash, A. Regional Variation of the Rock Art of Ethiopia: a Geological Perspective. Afr Archaeol Rev 35, 407–416 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-018-9291-5

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