Evidence of Ancient Somali Writing Systems

[Maintainnnin]

I've been struggling to come across documented images of the sites noted to contain undeciphered symbols or scripts in Somalia. There is a paragraph commenting on some sites and artifacts which contain an ancient Somali script published by the Somali Ministry of Information in 1974 below.

"An important point which is often lost sight of is that the ancient Somalis had evolved their own script systems which existed for a considerable period in their history. Convincing historical evidence in this respect is the numerous inscriptions and rock paintings on cave-walls, on granite rocks, old coins etc., that are found to this day in various parts of the country."

Some sites noted to contain the ancient scripts are as follows:
1. Godka Xararka in Las Anod District.
2. Qubiyaaley in Las Anod District.
3. Hilayo in Las Khoray District.
4. Karin Heeggane in Las Khoray District.
5. Dhalanle in Las Khoray District.

The problem I'm having is there's practically no information online that delves deeper into this topic, I'm unable to find photos, or any academic works. I've only come across one photo by coincidence of a cave photographed in Somaliland known as the "Dhaymoole site" which shows some symbols that could be an ancient writing script.

 

[Maintainnnin]

Found a video of someone who visited Godka Xararka in Las Anod. From the video I can't make out any symbols, or writing unfortunately.

Inshallah more people visit these sites and document them for others to see. Maybe someday we can collectively create a fund for an archeology team to document and date these sites because no one will do it for us.

 

[killerxsmoke]

Your talking about this

 

[Dima&Damo]

Your talking about this
View attachment 249610

What are those

 

[Jubba]

Nice! Are these native scripts or Sabean ( South Arabian) Scripts?

 

[Garaad diinle]

What are those

These are called summadu meaning signs or markings. It's often times used as camel marking but they could also serve many other functions as well. For example in southern somalia these summadu are used to mark the function of a clay pot some are for cooking others for water etc. They're some times used to indicate same sub clans too. If we had a civilization with complicated bureaucracy these signs might have developed into a proper script. Think of them as a pseudo pictogram.

 

[Garaad diinle]

Godka Xararka cave paintings found in sool sure looks like other cave paintings found in sanaag too. The same culture that made these cave paintings probably had a large grazing territory.

 

[OhMan]

Godka Xararka cave paintings found in sanaag sure looks like other cave paintings found in sool too. The same culture that made these cave paintings probably had a large grazing territory.

How old are these?

 

[Garaad diinle]

How old are these?

Sadly there are no information about their age. The site is called sabeeno furte lockated near ceerigaabo. I don't remember where i got the seconde picture from but here is where i got the first picture.

They are the same picture from two different perspective. It wasn't easy to make these carvings so it must have some sort of meaning to them if they were willing to pull that off.

(PDF) Mapping the Archaeology of Somaliland: Religion, Art, Script, Time, Urbanism, Trade and Empire

PDF | This paper presents the results of some of the surveys conducted to map archaeological sites of Somaliland and includes almost 100 new and... | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

www.researchgate.net

 

[Jubba]

Somalia has ancient history and very old civilizations. Of course, we had a writing script. How could you not? We definitely recorded our things from our trade with other ancient kingdoms and empires in places like Arabia, Persia, India, China, Egypt, and Greece and Rome. We were able to survive the onslaught of different cultures and traded with them since before Nabi Isa! We had to at least have had a script. It’s not going to be that hard to find. Considering that the Somalia hasn’t been checked yet for archeologically

 

[Erythrean]

I've been struggling to come across documented images of the sites noted to contain undeciphered symbols or scripts in Somalia. There is a paragraph commenting on some sites and artifacts which contain an ancient Somali script published by the Somali Ministry of Information in 1974 below.

"An important point which is often lost sight of is that the ancient Somalis had evolved their own script systems which existed for a considerable period in their history. Convincing historical evidence in this respect is the numerous inscriptions and rock paintings on cave-walls, on granite rocks, old coins etc., that are found to this day in various parts of the country."

Some sites noted to contain the ancient scripts are as follows:
1. Godka Xararka in Las Anod District.
2. Qubiyaaley in Las Anod District.
3. Hilayo in Las Khoray District.
4. Karin Heeggane in Las Khoray District.
5. Dhalanle in Las Khoray District.

The problem I'm having is there's practically no information online that delves deeper into this topic, I'm unable to find photos, or any academic works. I've only come across one photo by coincidence of a cave photographed in Somaliland known as the "Dhaymoole site" which shows some symbols that could be an ancient writing script. View attachment 249587

Do you want us to implement this Ancient Writing Script should we find it? @Maintainnnin?

 

[World]

There were giraffes in Lasanod?

i read that used to be elephants in the nugaal valley in the precolonial era

 

[Maintainnnin]

There were giraffes in Lasanod?

i read that used to be elephants in the nugaal valley in the precolonial era

The reason for the desertification & severe droughts in Somalia is due to massive deforestation & unmitigated pastoralism. It used to be much greener back then.

The lack of a government to manage the environment and plant trees is why large wildlife has migrated from Somalia into Ethiopia and Kenya today. There's still elephants in Somali inhabited regions of Kenya and Ethiopia.

 

[killerxsmoke]

Writing was only created 4 times in human history

 

[Erythrean]

Writing was only created 4 times in human history

Huh? When?

 

[Maintainnnin]

Do you want us to implement this Ancient Writing Script should we find it?

Nah, it would be impractical and only be done for nationalistic reasons.

The reason I find researching this important though is because there's this myth that Somalis were an illiterate people who didn't write their own history, when there's evidence to the contrary. Our scholars have been using far Wadaad for centuries to record clan lineages, religious works, translations, historical and philosophical works. Vast majority of these papers and books are held by local families undigitalized/archived and withering away in bookshelves. Imagine what we can learn about our history if we're able to find more evidence of an ancient script, and what it can tell us pre-far Wadaad.

Just to give a real example of how much history this can uncover, in 1992 a stone Stelle was unearthed in the city of Axum, Ethiopia. This stone had translations in Greek, Sabean, and Ge'ez of King Ezana's conquests. From this rock historians learned that he had a military campaign against Meroe and conquered it, and had already conquered Yemen, incorporating it into his empire. They also knew that when the stone was commissioned he was still a pagan. Some later coinage minted during his reign tho had the cross on it. Just from these two pieces of evidence 2,000 years ago we know some of this kings conquests, where he ruled, and that Ethiopia became christian under his rule. Amazing how much history just one stone can unearth wlh.

 

[Wild daisy 💐🌻💮]

Your talking about this
View attachment 249610

I thought those were for marking camels.

 

[Wild daisy 💐🌻💮]

I'm a a massive believer that we have our own ancient script. All we need is the government to fund archaeology digs and we will uncover numerous hidden history.

 

[Danakiil]

The reason for the desertification & severe droughts in Somalia is due to massive deforestation & unmitigated pastoralism. It used to be much greener back then.

The lack of a government to manage the environment and plant trees is why large wildlife has migrated from Somalia into Ethiopia and Kenya today. There's still elephants in Somali inhabited regions of Kenya and Ethiopia.

Lions still existed in Northern somaaliweyn in the mid 2000's. My sister knew a girl who got her face ripped off clean by a lioness in Awdal.

 

[Erythrean]

I'm a a massive believer that we have our own ancient script. All we need is the government to fund archaeology digs and we will uncover numerous hidden history.

That’s goes without question. The Kingdom of Punt, Macrobia, Barbaroi City states, Ifat, Adal, Ajuuran. You can’t set up Kingdoms without something as simple as a writing script.