Discoveries old and new: AKAP’s ongoing research on the Predynastic/Early Dynastic rock art of the First Cataract region

The Aswan-Kom Ombo Archaeological Project has been active in the First Nile Cataract region since 2005 with the aim of reconstructing the human occupational landscape at an important Nilotic crossroads. AKAP has documented a large quantity of rock art sites, both along the Nile Valley and the desert hinterland. While some of the most impressive sites have already been partially published, there is much more evidence that has not yet been reported. Recently, a highly engraved wadi located some 45 km east of Aswan has been discovered. It offers thousands of petroglyphs ranging from the Epipalaeolithic period to Late Antique and Medieval times, many of which are dated to Predynastic/Early Dynastic times. This paper aims on the one hand to introduce this very impressive wadi, which has the potential to challenge research paradigms in current Nilotic rock art studies, and on the other hand to provide up-to-date insights on the important work done in recent years by AKAP regarding rock art.