ART IN LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA

Rock Art of Libya:

Rock art of Libya is one of the most ancient and popular forms of art in the country which has attracted the attention of the tourists for a long time. Libya is an important North African country which boasts of having some of the most important creations of rock art. African rock art is an important part of the African culture. There are various exotic locales and important destinations in the country where one can experience impressive concentration of rock art in the world. Rock art of Libya is also considered as one of such increasingly popular form of art among the international travelers.

Libya rock art is known as one of most determining component of the tradition and heritage of the country. The rock art of the country is closely associated with the culture of Libya. This is a popular form of African art which are widely visible in Libya.Most of the rock art paintings were made in the beginning of the 5th millennium BC into the 2nd. A detail study of the history of Libya will make the international tourist understand about the design, technique and preservation of the historic rock art paintings of the country.

The country is home to a large concentration of rock art. It can be seen in the area of Wadi al-Hayat, which is located in the far southwest of the country in the Fezzan region of the central Sahara. This is a remote area where most of the places are uninhabited and visitors are able to watch a significant collection of prehistoric and historic engravings here. There are over 900 engraved rocks found in the region of Wadi. These were found after extensive excavation works were carried on in the area.

There are two main kinds of rock art which can be found in Libya- these are paintings and engravings. Paintings were generally made in rock of the mountain ranges and most of the colors which were used in the paintings were prepared from vegetables and different minerals. Engravings mainly reflect the social culture, lifestyles, beliefs and activities of Libya.

Research and excavation works are still going on for discovery of several other rock artifacts. Analysis of data and work are currently concentrating on refining the existing archaeological instances. Libyan rock art is one of the most historical forms of art in Libya which should be explored by the travelers.