Gilf el-Kebir facts for kids
Gilf el-Kebir is a huge plateau in Egypt. Its name means "the great barrier" in Arabic. This vast area is located in the far southeast of Egypt, right next to the countries of Libya and Sudan. It's about the same size as Switzerland!
The Gilf el-Kebir rises about 300 meters (almost 1,000 feet) above the surrounding desert. It's a very dry, or arid, place and can be tough to reach. You can even find a crater there called the Kebir crater. The Uweinat mountain range is at the very south of the plateau. This mountain range is shared by Egypt, Libya, and Sudan.
Exploring the Gilf el-Kebir
The Gilf el-Kebir is a land of ancient dry riverbeds, known as Wadis. These wadis carve through the plateau, showing where water once flowed. Some of the important wadis include:
- Akhdar (meaning "Green")
- Bakht (meaning "Luck")
- Dayiq (meaning "Narrow")
- Firaq (meaning "Separation")
- Gazayir (meaning "Islands")
- Maftuh (meaning "Open")
- Mashi (meaning "Walking")
- Wassa (meaning "Wide")
The Gilf el-Kebir has also appeared in popular culture. It is mentioned in the famous novel 'The English Patient' by Michael Ondaatje. Interestingly, a bag lost during World War II by a British soldier was found here recently. It contained his personal letters and photos, all well-preserved by the dry desert air!
Ancient Art of the Desert
The Gilf el-Kebir is famous for its amazing petroglyphs. These are ancient rock carvings and paintings made by people who lived here long, long ago, during the Stone Age. These artworks tell us stories about their lives and the animals they saw.
Rock Art Hotspots
- Karkur Talh and Karkur Murr: These are major valleys in the eastern Uweinat mountains. They have some of the richest collections of rock art in the entire Sahara Desert.
- Western Uweinat: Under huge granite boulders in this area, you can find many paintings. One famous spot is Ain Doua.
- Smaller Massifs: Places like Jebel Arkenu, Jebel Kissu, and Yerguehda Hill, which are smaller granite mountains around Uweinat, also have many rock art sites.
- Mogharet el Kantara: Located in the southern Gilf el-Kebir, this area has one known rock art cave. It was found by Shaw and his team in 1936.
- Wadi Sora: In the northwestern Gilf el-Kebir, this wadi is home to the famous "Cave of Swimmers" (also known as Swimmers' Cave). This cave was discovered by the Hungarian Count László Almásy, who was also featured in 'The English Patient'. Many other paintings are found nearby.
- Northwestern Gilf Kebir: Aside from Wadi Sora, this half of the plateau has a few scattered engravings. These seem to be very, very old.
- New Discoveries: In January 2003, a major new rock art site was found in the Western Gilf el-Kebir. It's called the Foggini-Mestekawi Cave.
