Daily Photo - Mestekawi-Foggini Cave

Again, I'll leave today's explanation to someone else. This is taken from an article about a visit to the Gilf Kebir by Mohamed El-Hebeishy on the Al Ahram Weekly website.

El-Mestekawi Cave was discovered during an expedition similar to ours in 2002. It is by far the largest site among the three, both in terms of the number of paintings and engravings as well as in terms of variety. Not all the paintings are of the same colour, with some being painted over the other indicating different periods and thus adding to the site's value. Handprints dominate the half- buried wall with alternating paintings of human figures, different animals and representations of hunting scenes. There were also works of art so surprising that they left me truly puzzled and above all impressed, including one representation of a headless bull, repeated in various parts of the cave. Could this be the mystical water creature which, according to legend, had the power to bring rain?

Another image which we found particularly perplexing was that of the footprint. While handprints regularly act as background for other paintings in most parts of the cave, there are only two footprints -- one engraved and another painted. If you stand right in the middle of the cave, lift your head slightly and you will find two adjacent carvings. Both are astounding, and appear to have been created by a highly imaginative avant- garde artist, or perhaps even an alien! I lost track of time as I stood in complete amazement in El-Mestekawi Cave, seeing priceless pieces of art as old as rock art. Indeed, this constituted an unmatched experience that left my soul indulged in mystical harmony.

Most unfortunately, some irresponsible tourists spray water on rock art in order to secure a more vibrant photograph. Although it works, there is also a hefty price to pay in the form an accelerated deterioration of the art itself. Having been dry for thousands of years, the sandstone on which most of the rock art is painted reacts negatively with water. Soon enough, the colours start to fade and the paint starts to peel. Water spraying and camera flashes are lethal when it comes to rock art, so please be very careful whenever present in such a crucially important site.