RESULTS OF WINTER
2007/8 – EXPEDITIONS
Advance Report
The aim of winter 2007/8 expeditions was to resume research on the Darb Wadai, on the Abu Ballas- and on the Kufra Trail as well as to continue efforts to solve the riddle of the origins of the pharaonic script as evidenced in Biar Jaqub.
While the first survey, which took place from 11/2/07 to 1/10/2008, was performed by camel, the second one of February 2008 was intented to be performed by 4WD.
A. Survey by camel
1.) Darb Wadai (DW) – Darb Bir Sahara (DBS)
Following the sparse line of alamat which mark the trail up to latitude 23 degrees
30´, it became clear that by unexpectedly deveating from its “Merga course”
at latitude 24 degrees 03´, the track is heading for the Bir Sahara/Bir Tarfawi
area. Thus, instead of DW, an appropriate name for the road would be
“Darb Bir Sahara” (DBS). Such denomination would help to distinguish DBS from another ancient
caravan road which runs from Mut/Dakhla oasis directly to Bir Tarfawi (“Darb
Tarfawi”).
2.) Abu Ballas Trail (TAB)
Departing from DBS on 11/14/2007 we (two camels, Amur and Ashan, and myself; see picture 1) proceeded to Eight Bells/Wadi Wassa.
During the first 16 days of the expedition tremendous heat had inflicted our party (high temperatures had weakened the beasts and had caused my water consumption to rise to 13.5 litres per day). When, on 11/18/2007, the heat ceased, I increased hiking speed with the negative outcome that Amur went lame. From that moment on my attempt of tracking the TAB from Wadi el Akhdar further to the southwest was severely hampered. Finally, to save the camel´s life, this endeavour had to be postponed until February 2008, when my friend Philipp More would arrive in Egypt for a desert survey by car.
picture 1: Amur and Ashan resting during a break
Amur suffered badly from a sprained muscle. He hardly could walk. At an average speed of 2.5 kilometres per hour (maximum of 10 km per day) and with lots of breaks, we made it back to Dakhla oasis covering about 480 km in 48 days.
3. March along the eastern fringes of the Gilf Kebir
Mark Borda´s & Mahmoud Marai´s discovery
of a hieroglyphic inscription
As we were dependent on water dumps set up in advance, it was out of the question
to retreat from the Gilf Kebir in direct line. Moving northward we reached
a much needed storage of 120 litres in the vicinity of El-Aqab el Qadim. Barely
enough water remained for me after the camels, on 11/28/2007, had their fill
at the remote locality. On the evening of the same day I received a SMS from
Mark Borda. It read: “CARLO WE HAVE FOUND PHARAONIC WRITING WITH CARTOUCHE
AND IMAGE OF PHARAOH…” Mark had been one of my hiking comrades and the main
sponsor of last winter´s expedition. Keen in making discoveries of his own,
he had hired my friend Machmud Marai this winter for providing desert transport
in order to survey the area between Bir Abu Munqar and Gebel Uweinat.
What an achievement - a hieroglyphic text containing the name of the distant land of Yam found some 700 km west of the Nile and circa 650 km afar from Djedefre´s Watermountain! Pleased that two of the individuals, who had helped me in my survival struggle against Kuper´s & Kroepelin´s vicious attacks, are the ones who made this incredible find, I congratulated immediately. Shortly after Mark replied: “THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS RE DISCOVERY. WE ARE GLAD THAT YOU HAVE BEEN VINDICATED. MARK.”
Years ago Kuper, totally overestimating his abilities, had declared the end of the era of the classical desert explorers, claiming, accordingly, the Western Desert of Egypt for himself and for, mainly, university based scientists associated with him. However, doesn´t this breathtaking discovery once more, support the conclusion that individuals with extraordinary determination, with dedication and perseverance, and with a readyness to bear risks as well as physical suffering, are still in the lead when it comes to thoroughly surveying the barren lands west of the Nile? Or, as one does not wish to suppose, are such discoveries made merely because of the shortcomings of those, who arrogated to themselves the exclusive right for desert survey, thereby creating a monopoly for the one-eyed and for the foot-lame?
4.) Kufra Trail (KT)
Maintaining our northward course we finally reached the KT.
In
Results of Expeditions 2006/7 – advance report (German version) I had reasoned,
that the discovery of a Clayton adorned with a simplified image of a cattle
head hints to the fact that the KT was used for cattle drive activities.
However, as stated in the same report, the cattle head image might represent
the name of a predynastic king called “Horus cattle(head)” (see note in chapter
“Discovery of the Kufra Trail”) Therefore, and because of the detection of
pieces of ivory in one of the Muhattahs, it is most likely that the trail
was utilised for a variety of purposes.
Turning north-east we followed the KT up to longitude 28. On our way we passed by a Muhattah, where a faintly blackened Clayton-lid embedded in compact playa was discovered. At a glance this item´s cover seemed to resemble the tarry coat obtained from my handal-pip roasting tests in Eastern Sudan. (see Results of Winter 2006/7 – Expeditions; a solution to the Clayton ring problem (continued)) Further studies are needed to verify such conjecture.
Amur´s frequent need for rest promoted further investigations of the KT,
which resulted in a number of minor discoveries:
a.)
Identification of different types of hearths (some of them, most probably, built for the insertion of Claytons)
b.) Detection of a side track
of the KT, of
c.) additional caravan resting
places and of
d.) a few potsherds
These finds supplement the picture which had been drawn of the trail last winter.
5.) Latest news from Biar Jaqub
On the last leg of the expedition organic remains (charcoal, two animal bones embedded in an ancient fire place (picture 2),
and ostrich egg shells) belonging to the dwellings of the giraffe
hunters of Biar Jaqub, were found. A few of the ostrich egg shells bear fragments
of incised decoration (picture 3) which, due to stylistic features, may
be related to the Naqada II period. (Up to my knowledge, this is the first find of decorated ostrich egg shells
in Egypt´s Western Desert. The shells will facilitate a precise dating of
the decorative art in question and of the rock art created by the giraffe
hunters in Biar Jaqub.) The bones, on the other hand, obviously
seem to have belonged to an animal larger than a gazelle. It will be interesting
to learn whether these skeletal remains are ascribable to a big antelope or
to a giraffe.
picture 2:two bones from a fireplace
picture 3: one out of five decorated ostrich egg shells
The forthcoming paper on early hieroglyphic writing in Biar Jaqub will, partly, concentrate on these finds, samples of which will be C14-dated in the near future. Results are expected not before the end of October 2008. Then, hopefully, my thesis that the giraffe hunters and the cattle worshippers of Biar Jaqub (picture 4) are, among other populace, the ones who created an “imperfect” prehistoric script which, at a later time, was partly incorporated into the pharaonic writing system (see previous expedition reports and Young, E.: Pharaohs from the stone age. New Scientist. 1/12/2007, p. 38, where my findings are cited) will be substantiated.
picture 4: Three hunters next to legs and tail
of a giraffe.
Rockart discovered on 2/12/2002 at Watermountain Outpost No. 7.
On 1/10/2008 Amur, Ashan and I returned safely to Bir 5 after a hike of 1,500 kilometres. Because of shortage of food (The dumps set up between the Gilf Kebir and Dakhla oasis were not designed for slow passage as forced upon us by Amur´s disablement.) I had turned skinny to the bone. Weakness increased when amoebic dysentery struck me. After I ended up in Al Shourouk Hospital, Cairo-Dokki, with broncho-pneumonia it became clear that, in order to recover and to gain strength again, I had to skip the 4WD-expedition to the Gilf Kebir and to Gebel Uweinat.
This year is my 28th year in the Egyptian deserts. Inchaallah in May there will be my 60th birthday. I don´t know any Bedouin who, at such an age, would bear the burden (and enjoy the pleasures) of such long marches on foot. Future expeditions will have to pay regard to physical limitations which occur, when one gets older.
B. Survey by 4WDThe results of the 4WD-survey including a raiding at Gebel Uweinat and the subsequent deportation of the members of the expedition deep into the Sudan will be presented by my friends at a later time.
Malberg, 3/15/2008
Carlo Bergmann