Lecture Notes: The Green Sahara

Introduction

• Speaker: Milo Rossi
• Setting: Year 2000, Nigerian Sahara Desert
• Discovery of significant archaeological site changing perspectives on human history.

Key Discoveries

• Initial Findings:
  • Paul Sereno’s team discovers bones believed to be dinosaur fossils but turns out to be modern crocodile and a fragment of a human skull.
  • Discovery of an ancient cemetery with bones of fish, mammals, reptiles, and humans.
• Significant Burials:
  • "Accordion Man": 9,500 years old, tightly wrapped at burial.
  • "Halloween Man": 7,000 years old with filed teeth.
  • Over 50 graves excavated, dating from 10,000 to 4,000 years before present.

The Environment of the Green Sahara

• Historical Context:
  • Sahara once a lush grassland, known as the African humid period.
  • Rich biodiversity supported by seasonal monsoons.
• Climate Changes:
  • Earth’s movements (eccentricity, obliquity, wobble) create cycles that influence climate every 21,000 years.
  • Monsoon rains led to fertile conditions in the Sahara, allowing for human habitation.

Archaeological Evidence

• Hinrich Barth (1855):
  • The first evidence of a green Sahara through cave paintings depicting humans and animals.
• László Almásy (1935):
  • Discovery of the "Cave of Swimmers", with depictions of people swimming, indicating past water presence.

The Cave of Swimmers

• Location: Southwestern Egypt, part of the "Valley of Pictures".
• Artworks:
  • Paintings of animals, handprints, and figures swimming.
• Implications of water existence in ancient Sahara.

Evidence for Green Sahara

• Paleoclimatic Studies:
  • Studies confirm Sahara’s greening linked to monsoon patterns.
  • Transition from lush grassland to desert over 4,000 years ago.

Gobero Burials

• Location: Just north of Lake Chad.
• Rich archaeological site providing insight into life during the African humid period.
• Notable Burials:
  • "Beautiful Woman": buried with flowers, indicating cultural significance.
  • "Turtle Man": buried in turtle shell, showing cultural practices.

Cultural Insights

• Keian and Tarrian Peoples:
  • The Keian people: hunter-gatherers, known for elaborate burial practices.
  • The Tarrian people: developed later, continued burial traditions.
• Trade Evidence:
  • Artifacts made from materials sourced from distant locations, reflecting trade networks.

Impact of Climate Change

• Climate fluctuations led to changes in lifestyle and cultural practices.
• Shift from hunting-gathering to agriculture and animal husbandry.
• End of the African humid period around 4,000 years ago.

Conclusion

• The Green Sahara provides a crucial perspective on human adaptability and cultural evolution.
• Importance of recognizing connections between past and present for understanding human history.
• Encouragement to maintain curiosity and hydrate.

Additional Resources

• Key papers for further reading:
  • "Vura in its Environmental Setting" by Frank Darius
  • Studies on Lake Mega Chad and the Kufra River Paleo-drainage system.

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Note: This is a high-level overview. For detailed study, refer to the original sources or the lecture video.