Dating Egypt's oldest `art': AMS [sup.14]C age determinations of rock varnishes covering petroglyphs at El-Hosh (Upper Egypt).

Dating Egypt's oldest `art': AMS [sup.14]C age determinations of rock varnishes covering petroglyphs at El-Hosh (Upper Egypt). The occurrence of rock art in the vicinity of the village ofEl-Hosh, situated on the west bank of the Nile, about 30 km south ofEdfu (FIGURE 1), had been known for over a century (Chester 1892), butuntil our 1998 mission the petroglyphs had not been properly documented.The rock art at El-Hosh includes a substantial number ofarchaic-looking, curvilinear curvilineara line appearing as a curve; nonlinear.curvilinear regressionsee curvilinear regression. designs, capped with mushroom-shapedprotuberances, and associated in a number of cases with a wide range ofabstract motifs, anthropomorphic Having the characteristics of a human being. For example, an anthropomorphic robot has a head, arms and legs. figures and zoomorphs. Our aim was toestablish the chronological and cultural-historical framework for thesepetroglyphs by sampling carbon-bearing substances in patina and rockvarnish formed within them. That carbon could then be applied for directdating using the Accelerator Mass Spectrometry accelerator mass spectrometryn.Mass spectroscopy in which a particle accelerator is used to disassociate molecules, ionize atoms, and accelerate the ions. (AMS AMS - Andrew Message System ) [sup.14]C method(Tuniz & Watchman 1994; Watchman 2000). We describe here the mainresults of this procedure indicating that part of the rock art atEl-Hosh pre-dates the early 7th millennium BP (mid 6th millennium calBC). It is therefore well beyond the age of any other graphic activityrecorded in the Nile Valley. [Figure 1 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Curvilinear `fish trap' designs The 1998 rock-art survey was conducted in a 6x2-km stretch alongthe Nile between the village of El-Hosh in the north and the mouth ofthe Wadi el-Shatt el-Rigal in the south. A multitude of rock-art siteswas located containing several thousands of petroglyphs. Some of thesehad already been briefly explored in 1926 and 1937 by the VIII. DeutscheInner-Afrikanische Forschungsexpedition (Cervicek 1974:37-9) and the SirRobert Mond Desert Expedition respectively (Winkler 1938: 9; 1939: 5). On the basis of its principal subject matter (boats,anthropomorphic figures and various species of animals), the bulk of therock art at El-Hosh belongs to the late prehistoric (Predynastic) andearly dynastic periods (~4000-2650 BC). Many of the themes representedcan closely be related to the iconographical repertoire of the earlyNilotic pastoral-agricultural civilizations. There are, however, asubstantial number of intensively patinated, curvilinear designs, cappedwith mushroom-shaped or cordiform cor��di��formadj.Heart-shaped. protuberances, that appear to datefrom another epoch. Three different sites with such archaic-lookingdesigns were identified: Gebelet Jussef, Abu Tanqurah Bahari and AbuTanqurah Kebli. These sites, large rocky exposures (isolated hills) ofEarly Cretaceous Nubian sandstone, are further subdivided in petroglyph pet��ro��glyph?n.A carving or line drawing on rock, especially one made by prehistoric people.pet localities and rock-art panels, often containing many engravings (FIGURE2). Frequently appearing in small clusters, and on occasion as isolatedfigures (FIGURE 3), in a considerable number of cases these curvilineardesigns are seemingly associated with a wide range of abstract andfigurative motifs, including circles, ladder-shaped drawings, humanfigures, footprints and crocodiles. [Figures 2-3 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The El-Hosh curvilinear designs may be representations of fishtraps (Huyge 1998a; 1998b), as their outlines bear remarkablesimilarities to the ground plan of a universally known fish-trappingdevice, namely the labyrinth fish fence (Von Brandt 1984: 163-5). Thegeneral purpose of such a trap is to channel and barricade fish into aconfined space (a catching chamber) where they can easily be speared,netted or simply collected by hand. Textual and iconographical evidence(from both classical authors and modern ethnographers) attests to theuse of this kind of fishing gear in the Nile Valley and the Delta(Brewer & Friedman 1989: 31-2; Boulanger 1907: xlii-iii).Importantly, the remains of possible early examples of such traps, builtof piled-up stone blocks, have been recovered in Lower Nubia (Myers1958). Remarkably, the El-Hosh rock art contains several examples ofsuperimposition in which these `fish trap' designs are superimposedby `stylized', bushy-tailed giraffe drawings. In early Egyptianiconography, `stylized' representations of giraffe are a prevalentsubject on middle Predynastic (Naqada I) ceramics primarily (between~4000 and 3600 BE). On this basis, a middle Predynastic date cantentatively be accepted for the El-Hosh giraffe drawings (Huyge 1998a;1998b). Moreover, as could be observed on various occasions, there is asubstantial difference in degree of patination between the curvilineardesigns and the giraffe drawings: complete versus advanced patinationrespectively. If this considerable difference in degree of patinationhas substantial chronological relevance, it is likely that thecurvilinear designs are early Predynastic (6th or 5th millennium BC) orpossibly even late Palaeolithic in age (8th or 7th millennium Bc orearlier). Varnish formation and direct dating This date, of course, needed to be confirmed by independent means.In the course of the survey several rock art-bearing exposures of Nubiansandstone were inspected to determine the nature and extent of theformation of patina and rock varnish on petroglyphs, and to selectpotential motifs for sampling and possible AMS [sup.14]C dating.Mineralogical and geochemical analyses (using petrography pe��trog��ra��phy?n.The description and classification of rocks.pe��trogra��pher n. , X-RayDiffractometry, combined Scanning Electron Microscopy and EnergyDispersive dispersive/dis��per��sive/ (-per��siv)1. tending to become dispersed.2. promoting dispersion. X-Ray Analysis, and Inductively Coupled Plasma An inductively coupled plasma (ICP) is a type of plasma source in which the energy is supplied by electrical currents which are produced by electromagnetic induction, that is, by time-varying magnetic fields. Spectrometry)were used to determine whether the rock surface coatings are rockvarnishes, formed by the accretion of aeolian Ae��o��li��an?adj.1. Of or relating to Aeolis or its people or culture.2. Greek Mythology Of or relating to Aeolus.3. aeolian Variant of eolian.n.1. components (clay mineralsand other airborne particles), or effusive deposits resulting fromleaching of Fe and Mn minerals from the core to the surface of the rock(Thomas 1997: 89-94). The results indicate that the coatings are ofcomposite nature and generally consist of a porous, silty, Fe-rich basallayer resting on quartz grains of the rock and a finely laminated,Mn-rich surface layer. As Fe, but little or no Mn, was substantiallypresent within the underlying rock matrix, the basal layer of the patinawas probably produced by in situ migration (leaching), whereas the upperlayer was the result of the cementation cementationIn geology, the hardening and welding of clastic sediments (those formed from preexisting rock fragments) by the precipitation of mineral matter in the pore spaces. It is the last stage in the formation of sedimentary rock. of particles from atmosphericfall-out. In the course of the latter, external process, typical of truerock varnish formation, airborne organic matter could easily have beentrapped within the developing coating (FIGURE 4). [Figure 4 ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] About 40 samples of the dark patinated deposits from withinpetroglyphs and on the surrounding rocks were collected using abattery-powered engraving drill and dental burrs. For radiocarbon datinga selection of 15 Fe- and Mn-rich varnish coated quartz grain samplestaken from within the petroglyphs themselves were submitted to theCenter for AMS of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory:see Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. (body) Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory - (LLNL) A research organaisatin operated by the University of California under a contract with the US Department of Energy. in Livermore(USA). They were combusted with CuO in evacuated sealed 6-mm quartztubes at 900 [degrees] C. Carbon dioxide, liberated from oxidized plantcellulose fibres in the samples, was converted to graphite and analysedfor [sup.14]C using standard AMS methods. Owing to the corrosive effectsof the heated sediments it was necessary, in many cases, to seal thecombustion tube inside a 9-mm backup tube. The increased surface area ofthis double-tube combustion setup led to increases in backgrounds andlarger uncertainty in the final results. Many of the samples were verysmall (tens of micrograms of carbon), and small 1- and 2-tube combustedcoal blanks and modern standards were run in order to correct theresults for trace contamination by both modern and `dead' carbonand/ or for size-dependent isotopic fractionation fractionation/frac��tion��a��tion/ (frak?shun-a��shun)1. in radiology, division of the total dose of radiation into small doses administered at intervals.2. (Kirner et al. 1996;Brown & Southon 1996; Alderliesten et al. 1998). Ultimately, only four of the 15 processed samples, all of whichwere taken from typical `fish trap' motifs, contained sufficientcarbon for measurement (TABLE 1). These four [sup.14]C dates provideminimum age estimates for both petroglyph production and rock varnishformation. The dated residual organic matter (plant cellulose fibres) isnot fossilized (FIGURE 4) and therefore stems from organisms living atthe time of varnish formation. All four dates are therefore valid astermini ante quem for the petroglyphs. They document different stages ofvarnish formation. Whereas it is evident that the rock art must be olderthan 2450 [+ or -] 320/ 2280 [+ or -] 320 [sup.14]C years BP (ThirdIntermediate Period to Ptolemaic Period at 68% probability) and even3740 [+ or -] 300 [sup.14]C years BP (Old Kingdom to Middle Kingdom at68% probability), the date of 6690 [+ of -] 270 [sup.14]C years BP(5900-5300 cal BC at 68% probability) is outstanding. This age estimateindicates that the El-Hosh `fish trap' motifs are well beyond theage of any other graphic activity known in the Nile Valley. The oldestknown dates for `art' in the Nile Valley (geometric and herringbonemotifs on pottery and figurines made of bone and ivory) are related tothe Upper-Egyptian Neolithic/Predynastic Badarian (~5600-5100 [sup.14]Cyears BP or ~4500-4000 cal BC) and Lower-Egyptian Merimde cultures(Urschicht of this culture, dated ~5900-5800 [sup.14]C years BP or~4750-4650 cal BC) (Hendrickx 1999). TABLE 1. AMS [sup.14]C age determinations for rock varnishescovering `fish trap' petroglyphs at El-Hosh. CAMS, Center for AMSof Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; BP, radiocarbon years beforepresent; [Sigma], standard deviation; cal BC, calibrated calendar yearsbefore Christ (calibration using OxCal Version 3.4).provenance CAMS no. BP [Sigma] cal BCof sampleAbu Tanqurah Bahari, Locality 2, Panel 1 57553 6690 270 5900 (68%) 5300Abu Tanqurah Bahari, Locality 7, Panel 1 60893 3740 300 2600 (68%) 1700Gebelet Jussef, Locality 2, Panel 1 60892 2450 320 1000 (68%) 100Abu Tanqurah Bahari, Locality 3, Panel 3 60891 2280 320 800 (68%) AD 50 Conclusion An upper time limit for the El-Hosh `fish trap' petroglyphs isdifficult to determine. Geomorphological evidence, in particular theinland occurrence of preserved bungs of black-coloured, compact, fossilflood silts at about +6 m above the modern floodplain floodplain,level land along the course of a river formed by the deposition of sediment during periodic floods. Floodplains contain such features as levees, backswamps, delta plains, and oxbow lakes. (at about +100 ma.s.l.), indicates that the landscape surrounding the rock-art sites,characterized by narrow and flat-bottomed wadi outlets, must have beeneminently suitable for installing stationary fishing devices. Remnantsof these same black silts have been observed elsewhere in theUpper-Egyptian Nile Valley (Paulissen et al. 1985). They seem to havebeen deposited during catastrophic floods by the so-called `WildNile' at around 13,000-12,000 [sup.14]C years BP, i.e. during thelate Pleistocene (Paulissen & Vermeersch 1989). It is likely (but,admittedly, nothing more than that) that the `fish trap' motifsdate from the time range between about 13,000-12,000 and 7000 [sup.14]Cyears BP. Unfortunately, for lack of archaeological surveys and excavations,very little is known about human settlement in this part of the NileValley at that time. It is therefore difficult to ascertain whether theEl-Hosh `fish trap' petroglyphs and associated scenery are of latePalaeolithic or early Neolithic/Predynastic vintage. Notwithstanding thefact that its precise archaeological context remains obscure, however,the El-Hosh rock art allows us to document a cultural-artistic phase inthe history of Egypt The history of Egypt is the longest continuous history, as a unified state, of any country in the world. The Nile valley forms a natural geographic and economic unit, bounded to the east and west by deserts, to the north by the sea and to the south by the Cataracts of the Nile. , evidently characterized by a rich and elaboratebody of thought, that was hitherto completely unknown. Acknowledgements. We thank D. Depraetere, M. Ismail, R. Mommaertsand I. Regulski for their collaboration in field activities; J. Southon(Center for AMS of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory) forprocessing the E1-Hosh samples; and the Egyptian Supreme Council ofAntiquities The Supreme Council of Antiquities (commonly abbreviated SCA) is part of the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and is responsible for the conservation, protection and regulation of all antiquities and archaeological excavations in Egypt. for granting permission to conduct research at E1-Hosh.Funding was provided by the National Geographic Society (grant 6109-98)and the Fund for Scientific Research -- Flanders (grant 1.5.404.98). Inaddition, Alan Watchman was supported by an Australian ResearchFellowship. References ALDERLIESTEN, C., K. VAN DER DER - Distinguished Encoding Rules BORG & A.F.M. DE JONG. 1998.Contamination and fractionation effects in AMS-measured[sup.14]C/[sup.12]C and [sup.13]C/[sup.12]C ratios of small samples,Radiocarbon 40: 215-21. BOULANGER, G.A. 1907. Zoology of Egypt: The fishes of the Nile.London: Hugh Rees. 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MARCHI(*) (*) Huyge, Royal Museums of Art and History The Royal Museums of Art and History (Dutch: Koninklijke Musea voor Kunst en Geschiedenis, French:Mus��es royaux d'Art et d'Histoire) is a group of museums in Brussels. , Jubelpark 10, B-1000Brussels, Belgium. huyge@kmkg-mrah.be Watchman, School of Anthropology,Archaeology and Sociology, James Cook University Situated in the tropical gardens of the campus, the halls of residence provide students with modern social and sporting facilities as well as the opportunity to choose between catered or self-catered accommodation. , Townsville Queensland4811, Australia. alan.watchman@jcu.edu.au De Dapper, Department ofGeography, University of Ghent, Krijgslaan 281-S8, B-9000 Ghent,Belgium. morgan.dedapper@rug.ac.be Marchi, Archaeological Cooperative`Footsteps of Man', Piazzale Donatori di Sangue 1, I-25040 Cerveno(Bs), Italy. fossati@numerica.it Receive 21 June 2000, accepted 11 September 2000, revised 13September 2000.