Lengo Petroglyphs
Encyclopedia
The ancient rock art site of Lengo is located in the Bakouma
region of the Central African Republic
.
slab, more than 200 m long covered by a layer of topsoil brought by erosion and decomposition of vegetation. They number more than 500 pictorials.
Engravings become divided into three groups:
A census revealed the following drawing types and abundances:
Animals:
Human playing bit parts:
A figure having moved aside legs, massive and short trunk on which arms are pointed out by two traits; it has a very small head of bird which, according to information acquired on place would be a ritual mask. The outlines of this silhouette are given by a polished, broad but rather shallow trait.
Weapon and various objects:
The presentations of weapons are the most numerous:
World Heritage Tentative List on April 11, 2006 in the Cultural category.
Bakouma
Bakouma is a sub-prefecture in the prefecture of Mbomou in Central African Republic. The area is known for its prosperity of mineral resources which have for a long time remained unexploited.-History:...
region of the Central African Republic
Central African Republic
The Central African Republic , is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It borders Chad in the north, Sudan in the north east, South Sudan in the east, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo in the south, and Cameroon in the west. The CAR covers a land area of about ,...
.
Site Description
The village of Lengo is on the road of Yalinga 3 km from Bakouma. The site of engravings is located on the right of this road, in 1 km east of the village. It occupies a huge lateriteLaterite
Laterites are soil types rich in iron and aluminium, formed in hot and wet tropical areas. Nearly all laterites are rusty-red because of iron oxides. They develop by intensive and long-lasting weathering of the underlying parent rock...
slab, more than 200 m long covered by a layer of topsoil brought by erosion and decomposition of vegetation. They number more than 500 pictorials.
Engravings become divided into three groups:
- Animals
- Weapons
- Various other signs.
A census revealed the following drawing types and abundances:
Animals:
- Eight antelopes, the nicest measure 1.50 m of long; very close to its back are engraved a spear and two throwing knives; two others are of lesser quality.
- Feline, two with round heads and raised long tail.
- Five very stylized and badly preserved animals, impossible to identify.
- Two birds of good size, perhaps bustards in mating positions.
Human playing bit parts:
A figure having moved aside legs, massive and short trunk on which arms are pointed out by two traits; it has a very small head of bird which, according to information acquired on place would be a ritual mask. The outlines of this silhouette are given by a polished, broad but rather shallow trait.
Weapon and various objects:
The presentations of weapons are the most numerous:
- Sixteen spears with very long shafts.
- An arrow with a short shaft.
- Four twenty-one throwing knives where they can identify thirty different types. Some people are very simple, right and bent back, others contrariwise in the numerous branches show an ornamental or ritual research and carry curls, hooks and notches. They are for the majority more complex.
- A calabash provided with a rope forming a curl. The inside of the drawings is finely staked out, the well marked neck and outlines were carried out by a carefully polished trait. This domestic object serves even in the region of Bakouma for the transport and the conservation of water at present in small quantity.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on April 11, 2006 in the Cultural category.