Уур амьсгалын өөрчлөлт болон хүний зохисгүй үйл ажиллагааны улмаас Африкийн түүхэн дурсгалт өв болох хадны сүг зургууд мөхлийн ирмэгт ирээд байна.
Египетийн Баруун цөлийн Дахла баян бүрдэд 7000 гаруй жилийн түүхийг хадгалсан 350 орчим хадны сүг зургийн цогцолбор байдаг. Польшийн археологичдын “Dakhleh Oasis Project” багийн 40 гаруй жил судалсан эдгээр дурсгал нь МЭӨ 6000-5000 оны үеэс эхлээд дундад зуун, бүр орчин үеийн түүхийг хүртэлх баялаг мэдээллийг агуулдаг. Харамсалтай нь, эдгээр зургийг сийлсэн Нубийн элсэн чулуу нь байгалийн хүчин зүйлд маш эмзэг бөгөөд жилээс жилд элэгдэж байна.
Эрдэмтдийн мэдээлснээр, цөлийн хүчтэй салхи, тоос шороо, температурын өсөлтөөс гадна сүүлийн жилүүдэд нэмэгдсэн аадар бороо нь хадны гадаргууг хурдацтай элэгдүүлж байна. Мөн орчин үеийн вандализм буюу сүг зургуудыг санамсаргүй эсвэл зориудаар гэмтээх, дээр нь шинээр сийлбэр хийх явдал нь эртний өвийг ноцтой сүйтгэж байгаа аж. Тухайлбал, 1916 оны цэргийн ажиллагаатай холбоотой болон орчин үеийн гар утас мэт дүрслэлүүд эртний олдворуудыг дарж үлдэх болжээ.
Археологич, доктор Павел Полковскийн хэлснээр, байгалийн элэгдлийг зогсоох боломжгүй тул эдгээр дурсгалыг яаралтай баримтжуулах нь нэн тэргүүний зорилт болоод байна. Гэвч Египетийн Баруун цөлд нэвтрэх аюулгүй байдлын зөвшөөрөл олгох үйл явц удааширснаас болж олон улсын судлаачдын баг 2014 оноос хойш тус бүс нутагт ажиллаж чадахгүй байгаа юм.
Дэлгэрэнгүйг эх сурвалжаас харах
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Thousands of prehistoric petroglyphs in Egypt’s Western Desert are slowly disappearing as climate change and human vandalism continue to damage one of Africa’s richest collections of ancient rock art. Archaeologists say the deterioration is happening year after year, making the race to document these sites more urgent than ever.
Hidden in the Dakhla Oasis, these petroglyphs preserve more than 7,000 years of human history. They tell the story of the people who lived, travelled, and left their mark in the desert across thousands of years, yet they remain far less well known than Egypt’s famous pharaonic monuments.
For more than 40 years, Polish archaeologists have been recording these carvings through the Dakhleh Oasis Project. Dr. Paweł Polkowski, who leads the project, says the amount of surviving rock art continues to shrink.
Thousands of Petroglyphs Reveal the History of the Desert
About 350 kilometres west of the Nile Valley, the Dakhla Oasis has been inhabited since prehistoric times. It was also an important stop along caravan routes connecting the Nile with the Sahara and Libya, leaving behind an exceptional archaeological record.
The Dakhleh Oasis Project reports that researchers have documented around 350 rock art sites. Some contain just a few engravings, while others include hundreds or even more than 1,000 images carved into the rock.
The oldest artworks date back to around 6,000–5,000 BC, while others were created during the medieval period and even in the 20th and 21st centuries. The site also preserves inscriptions written in hieroglyphic, Coptic, Greek, Graeco-Latin, and Arabic, reflecting thousands of years of continuous human activity in the oasis.
Nature is Slowly Erasing these Ancient Artworks
Many of the carvings were made on Nubian sandstone, a rock that is naturally soft and vulnerable to erosion. As Dr. Polkowski explained, some surfaces have become so fragile that they can almost be scratched with a finger.
“There’s a little less of it each year, and certainly less from decade to decade, or century to century,” he said.
The damage does not stop there. Stronger desert winds, airborne dust, and rising temperatures are gradually wearing away even harder rocks. Researchers also point to increasingly frequent and heavier rainfall, which has become another major concern.
The research team says rain was once extremely rare in this part of Egypt. Today, heavier downpours not only damage traditional desert buildings but also speed up the erosion of exposed rock art. Because these natural processes cannot be reversed, archaeologists say documenting the carvings has become a priority.
Modern Graffiti Is Leaving Permanent Scars On Ancient Rock Art
Human activity is also leaving permanent marks on the ancient petroglyphs. Modern graffiti and new carvings are covering prehistoric engravings across the oasis.
Dr. Polkowski notes that people have carved over older images throughout history, including during the Greco-Roman period. Today, those new markings are considered vandalism under heritage protection laws. He also said many of these sites have little or no protection, making this kind of damage common.
Among the more recent discoveries are a sandstone carving that resembles a smartphone and engravings believed to show British soldiers carrying rifles and flags during military operations in the oasis in 1916.
As explained by Heritage Daily, Administrative hurdles have also stalled preservation efforts. Dr. Polkowski said international teams have been unable to return to Egypt’s Western Desert since 2014 because the required security clearances have not been issued, despite approval from Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The delays have slowed the documentation of endangered petroglyphs.
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