Tibu
The Tibu are an ethnic group with origins tracing back to inhabitants of the Sahara thousands of years ago. As the Sahara climate transformed, leading to a drier environment, this group migrated to the mountainous regions of Tibesti and Ahaggar. Initially a Neolithic hunting culture, the Tibu adapted to changing circumstances by becoming subsistence farmers, surviving on the margins of these mountain ranges. Throughout their history, the Tibu culture has been marked by matriarchal characteristics, as evidenced by various social structures and practices. Their rich cultural heritage is illustrated through ancient paintings and carvings found on mountain walls, depicting a range of wildlife, including species like giant buffalo and elephants, that no longer inhabit the region. Over time, as the environment evolved, artistic representations shifted from these wild animals to domesticated cattle, reflecting the community's adaptation to their surroundings. The Tibu's history offers insight into the resilience and adaptability of cultures in response to environmental changes.
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Tibu
Related civilizations: Libya, Sudanic civilization.
Date: 3000 b.c.e.-700 c. e.
Locale: Central Sahara
Tibu
The Tibu were descendants of a group of people who originally lived in the Sahara thousands of years ago. As the Sahara began to dry up, this group of people moved into the Tibesti and Ahaggar mountain ranges. The Tibu were originally a Neolithic hunting culture, but as animals began to disappear from their environment, they became subsistence farmers, living on the fringes of the mountain ranges until historical times. There is evidence that the culture, at least for part of its history, was matriarchal.
Members of the culture left behind paintings and carvings on the walls of the mountains in which they lived. These paintings and carvings show animals, such as giant buffalo, elephants, rhinoceroses, and hippopotamuses, which no longer exist in the area that the Tibu inhabited. Archaeological studies indicate that as the Sahara slowly dried up, images produced on the walls changed from wild jungle animals to domesticated cattle.
Bibliography
Chippindale, Christopher, and Paul S. C. Tacon. The Archaeology of Rock-Art. New York: Cambridge University Press, 1998.
Coulson, David, and Alec Campbell. African Rock Art. New York: Abrams, 2000.