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Reading the Neolithic Paintings from Uan Derbuaen (Tasili-N-Ajjer, Algeria)

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Reading the Neolithic Paintings from Uan Derbuaen (Tasili-N-Ajjer, Algeria) TRABAJOS DE PREHISTORIA 73, N.º 2, julio-diciembre 2016, pp. 211-230, ISSN: 0082-5638 doi: 10.3989/tp.2016.12170 ‘Here come the brides’: reading the neolithic paintings from Uan Derbuaen (Tasili-n-Ajjer, Algeria) Aquí vienen las novias: leyendo las pinturas neolíticas de Uan Derbuaen (Tasili n’Ajer, Argelia) Augustin F. C. Holla ABRC ST A T intento de generalización directa ya sea estilística o temá- tica. Cada estación pintada parece ser única y expresiva de sugerencias propias que deben ser estudiadas extensa y The Tassil-n-Ajjer mountain range is well known for sistemáticamente. En el enfoque esbozado en este artícu- its phenomenal richness in rock-shelters and cave pain- lo, un enfoque iconográfico, las pinturas son consideradas tings. Generations of researchers have surveyed, map- como series complejas de “artefactos” organizados por ped, drafted and discussed different facets of these Tassili las mentes creativas de los artistas reales. ¿Cómo desa- paintings. The diversity and versatility of the paintings rrollaban sus habilidades esos artistas? ¿Qué elementos traditions of the Tassili make difficult any attempt at icónicos escogieron para la representación y por qué? straightforward generalization, whether stylistic or the- ¿Cómo y por qué esos elementos seleccionados se orga- matic. Each painting’s station appears to be unique and nizaron y combinaron? La nueva lectura de las pinturas conveys its own suggestions that have to be studied exten- de Uan Derbuaen permite sugerir una puesta en escena sively and systematically. In the approach outlined in this y una gran representación de los arreglos matrimoniales, paper –the iconographic approach–, paintings are viewed el viaje final de las novias. as complex sets of ‘artifacts’ arranged by the creative minds of the actual artists. How did these artists prac- tice their crafts? What iconic elements did they choose Key words: Rock Art; Cognition; Tassilian Iconography; to represent and why? How and why are these selected Central Sahara; Uan Derbuaen. elements arranged and combined? These are some of the questions addressed in this paper. The new readings of Palabras clave: Arte rupestre; Iconografía del Tasili; Sa- the Uan Derbuaen paintings allow to suggest a staging hara central; Uan Derbuaen. and grand representation of matrimonial arrangements, the final travel of the brides. 1.R INT ODUCTION There are different approaches to art in general R ESUMEN and past rock art in particular. This diversity is partly understandable in terms of academic tradi- La cordillera montañosa del Tasili n’Ajer es bien co- tions and individual’s idiosyncrasies. Some ap- nocida por su fenomenal riqueza en abrigos y cuevas pin- proaches are predominantly descriptive and taxo- tados. Generaciones de investigadores han prospectado, cartografiado, dibujado y discutido diferentes facetas de nomic. Others are above all interpretative, with estas pinturas del Tasili. La diversidad y versatilidad de however several degrees of gradation between las tradiciones pictóricas del Tasili hace difícil cualquier these two poles. In rock art research, addressing a Dépt. d’Anthropologie, Université Paris Ouest Nanterre La Défense. 200 Avenue de la République. 92000 Nanterre, France. Dept. of Ethnology and Anthropology, Xiamen University, Fujian, P.R. China. E-mail: [email protected] Recibido 10-XII-2015; aceptado 6-V-2016. Copyright: © 2016 CSIC. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC-by) Spain 3.0 License. 212 Augustin F. C. Holl the issues summarized under the terms: “When”, iconographic theory and methodology. An ap- “Where”, and “Why”, is not as easy as it sounds proach developed and tested on a number of case at first glance. It is nonetheless the main aims of studies during the last two decades (Holl 1995, scientists’ works in this research field. Adding the 2000, 2002, 2004a, b; Holl and Dueppen 1999). “How” question to these basic “Ws” makes the The methodology crafted to analyze complex analysis much more difficult but generates excit- Tassilian paintings integrates embedded hierar- ing approaches to the topic. chical levels. 1) The basic unit is the element: a The issue at hand is fundamentally cognitive line, color, or any other aspect of a recognizable from all sides of the equation. First, from the shape. 2) Different elements are combined to artists’/painters’ viewpoints. Second, from that create motifs: identifiable beings or objects. 3) of Tassilian pastoralists’ viewers and performers. A combination of motifs produces scenes, with Third, from that of contemporary researchers most of the time, a narrative character. 5) A and analysts. And fourth, from that of present- combination of scenes generates a composition. day readers and viewers. Whatever position – And finally, 5) series of compositions form the emic and/or etic– one would like to adopt, it is repertoire of a paintings’ station. The analytical axiomatic that all contemporary researchers, from framework presented above is robust, simple, local and/or foreign extractions, are outsiders. Is and straightforward. The interpretation of what it possible for outsiders to read, decipher, and un- is being represented is harder. Demonstrated his- derstand the iconographic and symbolic expres- torical cultural continuity in which descendant- sions of remote and vanished societies from the communities are linked to past creations can be past? That is the key question. “…narratives from helpful. The absence of such possibilities leaves a distant culture, remote in time and space, are the researchers with difficult options. In one, inserted in a world of symbolic values and prag- adopted in this paper, the performances drafted matics of discourse forms that give them meaning. in the paintings can point to aspects of social life They require transcultural translation efforts and documented in the current literature on pastoral consequently, an anthropological hermeneutics” societies anthropology. Gestures are polysemic, (Calame 2015: 34-35, my translation). sometime ambiguous, and culture-specific. But The burgeoning development in the field of past the actual landscape, patterns of land-use, the rock art research suggests the answer to be an em- archaeological record, as well as re-iteration and phatic YES! But how does one manage to do that? similarity of contexts of certain art-motifs can As the saying goes, “the devil is in the de- help narrowing the range and pointing to plau- tails”. A straightforward interpretative approach sible meanings. to rock art is very tempting but misleading most Considered from the vantage point of more of the time. A “Rosetta Stone” approach based on than a century and half of research and explora- well-grounded ethnography can be very helpful tion, Central Sahara paintings sites are clearly not (Lewis-Williams and Dowson 1999; David 2002; distributed randomly throughout the landscape. Lewis-Williams and Pearce 2004; Lewis-Williams They are instead clustered differentially, as in- and Challis 2011). Such situations are not only ex- tentional part of larger Tassilian pastoral-nomads ceptional almost everywhere (Smith 1993; Muz- cultural landscapes. zolini 1995; Bâ and Dieterlen 1966a, b; Lefebvre 1962; Lhote 1966, 1973; Le Quellec 2002, 2006) but also severely limited in their possibilities of shedding light on remote and vanished cultural 2. TassiLIAN PASTORAL-NOMADS practices and experiences. The “How” question, CULTURAL LANDSCAPE referring to techniques and “Know-how”, intends to take the Tassilian artists/painters seriously into The Tassili-n-Ajjer (the Mountain of Rivers consideration. One has to try to understand their in Tuareg language) is a rugged mountain range craft, their know-how, and their techniques as rig- located in the Central Sahara (Fig. 1). It is orient- orously and systematically as possible. ed Southeast-Northwest, with elevation ranging In this paper, the research program sketch- from 1600 to 1750 m above sea level (asl). It is ily outlined above is implemented through the surrounded along its northern flank by sandy and Trab. Prehist., 73, N.º 2, julio-diciembre 2016, pp. 211-230, ISSN: 0082-5638 doi: 10.3989/tp.2016.12170 ‘Here come the brides’: reading the neolithic paintings from Uan Derbuaen (Tasili-n-Ajjer, Algeria) 213 rocky lowlands. Pastoral nomadic societies took Tassilian rock paintings sites have fascinated root in Central Sahara during the Early Holo- researchers during the last 20th century. Explora- cene and left evidence of their presence in both tions are still going on, with new sites being found lowlands and highlands. In rainy seasons and today (Smith 1993, Muzzolini 1995; Lhote 1966, depending on the quality and quantity of rain- 1973; Hachid 2000; Le Quellec 2002, 2006; Holl fall, pastoralists groups were scattered in small 2004a, b; Barbaza 2015). They are distributed in family units in the sandy lowlands where thou- two large concentrations 1). One is in the central sands of their fire-places were recorded. They Tassili and the other in the Eastern Tassili. practiced transhumance, in the Tadrart Acacus and the Tassili-n-Ajjer as well, using the mul- tiple rivers valleys as transhumance corridors. The highlands, at higher elevations with their 3. THE PAINTINGS FROM UAN DERBUAEN springs and other permanent water bodies, were optimal dry seasons camping areas. In simple Henri Lhote research and art recording meth- terms, the Tassilian pastoralists’ cultural land- ods have been harshly criticized during the last scape was made of sandy lowlands, optimal rainy few years (Keenan 2002; Bahn 2010). For Keenan season camping areas, with almost all the buri- (2002), he was a self-aggrandizing and destruc- als and cemeteries recorded in the study area. tive collectors of artifacts. For Bahn (2010: 180) That extensive grazing area was complemented who focuses on Lhote and team’s art recording by the highlands optimal dry seasons camping techniques, “the wetting certainly contributed to area, with virtually all the rock paintings stations severe damages. It makes the figures clearer in the recorded so far. And finally, the hydrographic short term, but far less clear in the long term”.
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