The World of Well-Preserved Primitive Cave Paintings of Somaliland

Krispin Joseph PX

Somali land is a land of Art and primitive culture, like many other places. In Somalia, Laas Geel has a group of 10000 years old cave paintings, and many of the caves are not entirely explored. At least the caves of ten sites spread across the semi-desert terrain give them World Heritage Status so far. Laas Geel is considered one of the oldest and best-preserved examples of African rock art, dating back to 3000 BC.

Laas Geel is the prime location of the Cave art, and Dhagah Kureh and Dhagah Nabi Galay are the others; all these locations lie outside the Somali capital. This brings new dimensions and tourists from all around the world into Somalia; this Neolithic Rock art gives breaking space for the African heritage.

French Archaeological team started the research in Somalia in 2002, which led to the discovery of Laas Geel cave art. French team intends to search for the primitive rock shelter from these semi-deserted terrains to document the chronological period when the production economy appeared in this part of the Horn of Africa that led us into the period of 5,000 to 2,000 years BCE. The cave’s names come from the name of the giant rock of the same name, which means “The Dromedaries Waterhole” in Somali.

In this primitive rock art, wild animals and decorated cattle (cows and bulls) are depicted, and also features of herders; it seems they are the creator of this cave art. The most incredible element is Laas Geel’s rock art is executed in the same distinctive Ethiopian-Arabian style as the Dhambalin and Karinhegane cave art that is also situated in Somaliland.

This location has been well known among Somali people for centuries, but no one goes further because people believe its status is a cursed place where the Devil lived and was caught. Somalia is a land of cave art and megalithic archaeological sites, Haadh, Gudmo Biyo Cas, Dhambalin, Dhagah Maroodi and many other sites like Heis, Maydh, Haylan, Qa’ableh, Qombo’ul and El Ayo get many different elements of ancient edifices.

In Laas Geel’s Cave, paintings mainly narrate the scenes of the daily life of the nomads and their animals’ ceremonials. Some pictures are monochromatic, and others polychrome, but they are all remarkably well-preserved and striking for something thousands of years old. They used warm colours, red, yellow or orange, and black and white are rarely used.