663

Site
Site name
RA03I/494
Toponym(s) of the site

T-Anshal-t I

Description

A large rock shelter located above the eastern portion of the Wadi T-Anshal-t’s left bank near T-Anshal-t II (Site ID 664). The site, known as T-Anshal-t I, was partially reproduced in the 1960s on a composite chipboard panel in the Mori Collection. The back wall, partially cov- ered by a huge fallen boulder, contains a long series of Round Heads and Pastoral paintings. The rock surface and the paintings are highly damaged by natural processes (including the presence of Hymenoptera nests) and anthropogenic actions related to modern reproduction activities (wetting and tracing with graphite). Although the wall is literally covered with traces of paint, the most noticeable artworks can be grouped in eight panels. Panel 1, on the wall’s left end side, contains an isolated green zoomorphic subject now partially covered with crusts. Panel 2 comprises a large palimpsest of paintings representing at least eight red and green/yellowish Round Heads humans in various positions. The central figure appears to be a female. Panel 3, immediately to the right of Panel 2, contains four partially overlapping red and green Round Heads humans moving toward the right. On the right, on the panel’s upper portion, there are several scarcely recognizable motifs and two visible red-contoured and partially filled red paintings possibly representing zoomorphic horns (Panel 4). Panel 5, also on the right, contains a roughly painted red quadruped facing right (elephant?). Panel 6, further to the right, contains two areas with painted groups of figures. The first one, on the left, includes three yellowish Round Heads humans partially covered by a second group of paintings representing three red antelopes or gazelles moving toward the right. The second area, on the right, contains two clusters of subjects. The lower part displays a series of red paintings now barely visible as vanishing shadows; the upper part contains an elaborate scene of about twenty green/brown small human figures facing left represented in different poses (standing and holding bows or crawling) and some additional figures conceivably representing plants. The adjoining Panel 7 comprises a cluster of nearly invisible figures. A stylized red elephant and a series of small green/brown human figures are the most visible subjects: these are possibly part of the same groups of figures as the ones on Panel 6. Panel 8 contains a nearly invisible scene of yellow human figures. Kettles and cupules are scattered around the site.