Why is it in the News?

Recently, distinctive prehistoric rock art depictions were unearthed within the Andriamamelo Cave in western Madagascar.

Key Discoveries:

• Within this cave's truly pictorial art, human-like and animal-like figures depicting scenes from nature have been revealed.
• The remarkable findings unveiled surprising cultural connections, with some scenes directly linking to Egyptian religious motifs from the Ptolemaic period (300-30 BCE).
• Additionally, symbols and inscriptions on the cave walls indicated connections to the Ethiopian and Afro-Arab regions.
• Furthermore, the prevalent symbology and motifs echoed a cave art style from Borneo dating back two millennia.
• Notably, depictions within the cave may include three extinct animals of Madagascar — a giant sloth lemur, an elephant bird, and a giant tortoise.
• The potential connection to Egypt is suggested by eight significant images, including representations of a falcon (Horus), the bird-headed god Thoth, the ostrich goddess Ma`at, and two human-animal figures resembling Anubis, the ancient Egyptian god typically portrayed with a canine head.

About Andriamamelo Cave:

• The Andriamamelo Cave is situated in western Madagascar, nestled within the karstified limestone of the Paysage Harmonieux Protege de Beanka.
• This cave is a component of a vast karst region that encompasses the UNESCO World Heritage site, Parc National de Bemaraha, to the south, and the less-explored Antsingimavo karst area to the north.