Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral
Acacus pastoral (7000–2000 BCE) radiocarboned·Acacus pastoral (Early Pastoral 6300–5400 BCE)·🇱🇾 Fezzan, Tadrat Acacus, Ti-n-Torha East, near Ghat, Libya
About
About Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral
Acacus Ti-n-Torha excavated by Mori & Barich 1980s, 16k Acacus rock art site UNESCO. Recorded context — Period: Acacus pastoral (7000–2000 BCE) radiocarboned; Culture: Acacus pastoral (Early Pastoral 6300–5400 BCE); Field status: excavated; Materials: sandstone, pigment, tethered cattle bone; Condition: preserved — UNESCO 1985 Acacus.
Why it mattersKey Acacus pastoral (Early Pastoral 6300–5400 BCE) rock-shelter with stratified sequence and regional typology.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Construction labor organization
- 02Trade network extent
Theories
- 01Ceremonial centre
- 02Observatory
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- c. 6300 BCE shelter base; pastoral layers 5400 BCE
- Period
- Acacus pastoral (7000–2000 BCE) radiocarboned
- Culture
- Acacus pastoral (Early Pastoral 6300–5400 BCE)
- Purpose
- Dated pastoral rock-shelter with stratigraphy — excavated Acacus type-site: earliest tethered cattle 5900 BCE
- Rediscovered
- Modern excavation 1860
- Excavation
- Excavated
1920 excavation
Modern rediscovery and scientific excavation of Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral
c. 6300 BCE shelter base; pastoral layers 5400 BCE
Initial construction / first occupation at Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral
On the ground
Structures & features
24.9220° N · 10.3410° E · 850 m · 4 mapped features
- Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — Principal Structurestructurestructure at Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — outlier feature24.9239° N · 10.3407° E
- Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — Northern Complexcomplexcomplex at Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — hydraulic feature24.9211° N · 10.3415° E
- Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — Rock_Art Annex 3rock artrock art at Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — primary structure24.9210° N · 10.3414° E
- Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — Structure Annex 4structurestructure at Tadrat Acacus — Ti-n-Torha East Shelter Pastoral — subsidiary complex24.9216° N · 10.3398° E