Nubian Rock Art and its Landscape: a GIS based approach

Rock art constitutes a peculiar characteristic of both ancient Egypt and Sudan, in particular during the prehistoric and Predynastic periods. The connections between the subjects of rock art panels and their geographical setting has been highlighted by many scholars, because the artistic expression is strictly integrated within its landscape. However, it is not always possible to study rock art in its original context, because of natural transformations or human activities. Nonetheless, modern technologies (Remote Sensing, satellite imagery) can be useful in order to examine the links between rock art subjects and the landscape in which they could be seen. The ‘Heritage and Dams in Nubia Workgroup’ aims at the creation of a GIS-database with all the archaeological Nubian sites involved by the building of the Aswan High Dam. As part of the research, this paper will focus on important rock art sites and, specifically, on their spatial connections with the ancient Nubian landscape, as it can be inferred through the GIS-database analysis and the published materials. The study of the geographic setting of the artistic subjects will allow a series of results which could be compared with other locations.