Andriamamelo Cave : Rock Art Drawings
Unique, prehistoric rock art drawings have been discovered in the Andriamamelo Cave in western Madagascar.
- Andriamamelo Cave is situated in the western Madagascar.
- It is located in karstified limestone of the Paysage Harmonieux Protege de Beanka.
- This is part of an extensive karst region that includes the Parc National de Bemaraha to the south, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the little-studied Antsingimavo karst area to the north.
Key findings:
- In this cave truly pictorial art, depicting images of nature with human-like and animal-like figures have been discovered.
- The dramatic discoveries contained several surprises, including hints at some remarkable cultural connections.
- First, scenes depicted in some cases linked up fairly directly to Egyptian religious motifs from the Ptolemaic period (300-30 BCE).
- Second, other inferences from symbols and writing on the walls showed connections to the Ethiopian and Afro-Arab worlds.
- Finally, prevalent symbology and motifs evoked a two-millennia-old cave art style from Borneo.
- At least three extinct animals of Madagascar which was thought to have been extinct for many centuries may be depicted – a giant sloth lemur, elephant birds and a giant tortoise.
- Egyptian connections are hinted at in eight major images, including a falcon (Horus); the bird-headed god Thoth; the ostrich goddess Ma`at and two human-animal figures which were similar to Anubis – an ancient Egyptian god usually depicted as a man with a canine head.
