User:Csevi005/Prehistoric art

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Saharan Africa

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Works of the Bubalus period span the Sahara, with the finest work, carvings of naturalistically depicted megafauna, concentrated in the central highlands.

The Round Head Period is dominated by paintings of strangely shaped human forms, and few animals, suggesting the artists were foragers. These artists may have been producing rock art 2,000 years before domestication. These works are largely limited to Tassili n'Ajjer and the Tadrart Acacus. Some works show figures with bows near herds of cattle and a reunion of members near cattle. Round Heads are mostly found in Tassili and similar isolated Round-Head figures have been found in areas such as Jebel Uweinat and Ennedi. Which may indicate similar cultures between these populations.

Other animals represented in the Round head art are hippopotamus, elephant, and bovids. Animals like antelope and mouflon are also represented; fauna remains have been found in archaeological sites during excavations. About 90% of Round Head art is animal representation. Toward the end of the period, images of domesticated animals, as well as decorative clothing and headdresses appear. Some domesticated animals are cattle from the Bovidae family.

Pastoral Period art was more focused on domestic scenes, including herding and dancing. As well as hunting scenes of mouflon. Unlike in the Round Head art, the bow is relevant to Pastoral art since hunting scenes were depicted during this time. Pastoral figures are seen on the same wall of Round Heads except they are along the borders. The foragers may have been respecting the previous artwork and did not paint over the figures.The quality of artwork declined, as figures became more simplified.