An ontological approach to Saharan rock art

Abstract

Regarding the variety of publications on Saharan rock art, a simple statement can be made: approaches involving the idea of ontologies that are different from our own are extremely rare, if not non-existent. This paper provides the opportunity to review the successive traditions of research on Saharan rock art having mostly focused on the representational value of images and on meaning and, in a more exploratory attempt, aims to investigate how the concept of ontologies may shake up current approaches. Alternative methodologies can be put forward to revisit the lived dimension of prehistoric depictions like the ‘Great Gods’ of Sefar (Algeria), the theriantrops (Libya), and the ‘headless beasts’ (Egypt). A detailed description of these transmorphic beings indicates that they are not stable entities, bringing forth the idea of a ‘becoming’ rather than a ‘being’ in hunter-gatherers ontologies. Revolving around the relationship between humans and cattle, pastoralist rock art appears to be the expression of a very different worldview. Studied in conjunction with the archaeological record, the rock art record brings life to images which have long been perceived as inert material.