{{Short description|Plateau in Egypt and Libya}} {{Infobox mountain | name=Gilf Kebir | image=GilfKebir1.jpg | image_caption=View from the top of Gilf Kebir overlooking Wadi Sura | country=[[Egypt]] | map=Egypt | coordinates = {{coord|23|26|29|N|25|50|23|E|type:mountain|format=dms|display=inline,title}} }}
'''Gilf Kebir''' ({{lang|ar|جلف كبير}}) (var. '''Gilf al-Kebir''', '''Jilf al Kabir''', '''Gilf Kebir Plateau''') is a [[plateau]] in the [[New Valley Governorate]] of the remote southwest corner of [[Egypt]], and southeast [[Libya]]. Its name translates as "the Great Barrier". This {{convert|7770|km2|abbr=on}} [[sandstone]] plateau, roughly the size of [[Puerto Rico]], rises {{convert|300|m|abbr=on}} from the [[Libyan Desert]] floor. It is the true heart of the [[Gilf Kebir National Park]].
The name Gilf Kebir was given to the plateau by [[Prince Kamal el Dine Hussein]] in 1925, as it had no local name.<ref>F. J. R. R., "A Reconnaissance of the Gilf Kebir by the Late Sir Robert Clayton East Clayton" and P. A. Clayton, "The Western Side of the Gilf Kebir" ''Geographical Journal'' 81, 249-254 and 254-259, (1933)</ref> It is known for its rugged beauty, remoteness, geological interest, and the dramatic cliff paintings-[[pictograph]]s and rock carvings-[[petroglyph]]s which depict an earlier era of abundant animal life and human habitation.
==Geography and climate== The [[Uweinat]] [[mountain range]] at the very south of the plateau extends from Egypt into [[Libya]] and [[Sudan]].
===Wadis=== The plateau is crisscrossed by [[Wadi]]s (dry, seasonal riverbeds). These include: * [[Wadi Hamra (Gilf Kebir)|Wadi Hamra]] {{lang|ar|وادي حمرا}} * Wadi Akhdar {{lang|ar|وادى الاخضر}} * Wadi Bakht {{lang|ar|وادى بخت}} * Wadi Dayiq {{lang|ar|وادى الضيق}} * Wadi Firaq {{lang|ar|وادى فراق}} * Wadi Gazayir {{lang|ar|وادى الجزائر}} * Wadi Maftuh {{lang|ar|وادى مفتوح}} * Wadi Mashi {{lang|ar|وادى ماشى}} * Wadi Sura {{lang|ar|وادي صورة}} * Wadi Wassa {{lang|ar|وادى واسع}} * Wadi Abd el-Malik {{lang|ar|وادي عبد المالك}}
===Climate=== Gilf Kebir Plateau lies in the heart of the eastern part of the vast [[Sahara Desert]], and thus experiences an extremely hyper-arid climate. The area receives very little rainfall, with annual average precipitation hardly reaching 0.1 mm, and has a [[Aridity index|geological aridity index/dryness ratio]] of over 200, meaning that solar energy received at the ground evaporates more than 200 times the amount of precipitation received.<ref>{{Cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetoegyp00danr | url-access=registration | page=[https://archive.org/details/roughguidetoegyp00danr/page/550 550] |title = Egypt| publisher=Rough Guides |isbn = 9781843530503|last1 = Richardson|first1 = Dan|year = 2003}}</ref>
{{Weather box |location = Gilf Kebir Plateau |metric first = yes |single line = yes |Jan high C = 20.8 |Feb high C = 23.6 |Mar high C = 27.8 |Apr high C = 33.8 |May high C = 36.6 |Jun high C = 38.3 |Jul high C = 38.7 |Aug high C = 38.6 |Sep high C = 37.2 |Oct high C = 32.3 |Nov high C = 26.3 |Dec high C = 22.1 |Jan low C = 7.7 |Feb low C = 10 |Mar low C = 12.4 |Apr low C = 18.4 |May low C = 22.2 |Jun low C = 24.9 |Jul low C = 26.1 |Aug low C = 26.3 |Sep low C = 24.2 |Oct low C = 19.2 |Nov low C = 13.2 |Dec low C = 8.7 |source 1 = ''Storm247.com''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.storm247.com/weather/11481889/climate |title=Weather for Gilf Kebir Plateau, Egypt |accessdate=22 June 2013 |publisher=Storm247.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131224103949/http://www.storm247.com/weather/11481889/climate |archivedate=24 December 2013 }}</ref>}}
==History== ===Petroglyphs=== [[Image:Gilf Kebir jan 2007 rock carvings.jpg|thumb|right|Ancient [[petroglyph]]s of a temperate era's giraffe, ostrich, and long-horned cow being herded]] The Gilf Kebir is known for its prehistoric [[Neolithic]] [[petroglyph]]s * Rock engravings in the upper part of [[Wadi Hamra (Gilf Kebir)|wadi Hamra]]. * [[Magharet el Kantara]] in the southern Gilf Kebir contains only one known rock art site, a cave discovered by Shaw & party in 1936. * Wadi Sura in the southwestern Gilf Kebir: the "[[Cave of Swimmers]]", discovered by the Hungarian Count [[László Almásy]] (''[[The English Patient]]''), plus many other paintings nearby. * In January 2003, [[Zerzura]] Expeditions and Jacopo Foggini independently discovered a major new rock art site in the Western Gilf Kebir ([[Cave of Beasts|Foggini-Mestekawi Cave]]). * The North-western half of the Gilf Kebir aside from Wadi Sura has only a few scattered engravings, of an apparently very ancient age. * Karkur Talh and Karkur Murr: major eastern valleys of the [[Uweinat]] contain one of the richest concentrations of rock art in the whole [[Sahara]]. * Western Uweinat: Shelters under the huge granite boulders in the western Uweinat contain numerous paintings, including the famous sites of Ain Doua. * [[Jebel Arkenu]], Jebel Kissu & Yerguehda Hill, the lesser granite massifs around Uweinat have many smaller sites.
Saharan [[rock art]] has been found to resemble the art of Nile valleys. [[African humid period|The Saharan area was wetter]] until mid-[[Holocene]] or about 4000 BC, when the monsoon retreated southwards, forcing humans to migrate. Some retreated eastward to the Nile valley, taking with them their beliefs and influencing Egyptian art.<ref>Jean-Loïc Le Quellec and Pauline and Philippe de Flers (2006). [http://rupestre.on-rev.com/page76/assets/AC_GB.pdf "Prehistoric swimmers in the Sahara."] ''Arts & Culture'' 46-61.</ref><ref>Julien d'Huy (2009). [https://independent.academia.edu/JulienDHuy/Papers/670295/New_evidence_for_a_closeness_between_the_Abu_Ras_shelter_Eastern_Sahara_and_Egyptian_beliefs_-_Sahara_20 "New evidence for a closeness between the Abu Ra´s shelter (Eastern Sahara) and Egyptian beliefs."] ''Sahara'' 20: 125-126 and Julien d'Huy and Jean-Loïc Le Quellec (2009)</ref><ref>Julien d'Huy and Jean-Loïc Le Quellec (2009)[https://independent.academia.edu/JuliendHuy/Papers/670324/From_the_Sahara_to_the_Nile_-_The_low_representation_of_dangerous_animals_in_the_rock_art_of_the_Libyan_desert_could_be_linked_to_the_fear_of_their_animation._-_Translated_by_Geoffrey_Kolbe._-_Les_Cahiers_de_lAARS_13_2009_85-98 "From the Sahara to the Nile: the low representation of dangerous animals in the rock art of the Libyan desert could be linked to the fear of their animation"], or [http://aars.fr/images/pdf/dangerous%20animals%20in%20the%20rock%20art%20of%20the%20libyan%20desert.pdf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811015303/http://aars.fr/images/pdf/dangerous%20animals%20in%20the%20rock%20art%20of%20the%20libyan%20desert.pdf |date=2011-08-11 }}, translation by Geoffrey Kolbe from [https://independent.academia.edu/JuliendHuy/Papers/670321/Du_Sahara_au_Nil_la_faible_representation_danimaux_dangereux_dans_lart_rupestre_du_desert_Libyque_pourrait_etre_liee_a_la_crainte_de_leur_animation._-_Les_Cahiers_de_lAARS_13_2009_85-98"Du Sahara au Nil. La faible représentation d'animaux dangereux dans l'art rupestre du désert Libyque pourrait être lié à la crainte de leur représentation." ]''Cahiers de l'AARS'' 13: 85-98, or [http://rupestre.on-rev.com/page2/page7/assets/JLLQ_Dhuy_2009.pdf].</ref>
===20th century exploration=== [[Image:GilfKebirAqaba.jpg|thumb|The Aqaba Pass]] The hills of the Gilf Kebir were first seen from a distance by European explorers in 1910 - with W. J. Harding-King in 1910 and 1911, and Ball and Lieutenant Moore in 1918. The high southern part of the plateau was sighted for the first time by Prince Kamal el Dine Hussein in 1925, and on another expedition, in the following year, he fixed the eastern escarpment of the plateau and first realised the true size of the plateau. In 1930 an expedition headed by [[Ralph Alger Bagnold]] followed the same route. In the winter of 1930–1, P. A. Clayton surveyed some of the areas.
The western side of the Gilf Kebir was explored in 1932 by the Clayton-Almásy Expedition, headed by Sir Robert East Clayton and [[László Almásy|Count László E. Almásy]], and accompanied by [[Pat Clayton|Patrick A. Clayton]], [[Hubert Jones|Squadron Leader H. W. G. J. Penderel]], three Arabian car drivers and a cook. The expedition explored the area by [[de Havilland DH.60 Moth|Gypsy Moth]] plane, by car, and on foot.
1933 Patrick Clayton and Ladislaus Almasy discovered the ''Aqaba-Pass'', the only way up Gilf Kebir from the southern plains i.e. from wadi Sura.<ref>[https://history.icaci.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Torok.pdf Exploration and mapping of Gilf Kebir] retrieved 16 April 2020</ref>
===WWII archeology=== The plateau was the site for various British logistical operations during the [[Second World War]], and due to the extremely dry conditions and lack of population, remains of this occupation are often found intact. A large airbase, including huge navigation arrows laid out in army petrol cans, can still be seen at the [[Eight Bells Hills]] spot in the southeast of Gilf Kebir.
It was also the site of the 2007 discovery of a bag that had been lost in the [[Second World War]] by a dispatch rider (Alec Ross) of the [[Long Range Desert Group]], part of the [[British Army]]. This contained the rider's personal letters and photographs and had been well preserved.<ref name="BBC_WWII Army Bag">{{cite web |title=WWII Army Bag Is Found In Desert |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/lancashire/7118650.stm |website=The BBC |publisher=The British Broadcasting Company |access-date=12 January 2023}}</ref>
==Literary setting== The Gilf Kebir is the setting for part of [[Michael Ondaatje]]'s novel ''[[The English Patient]]''. It also plays an important role in Paul Sussman's ''The Hidden Oasis''.
==See also== *[[Libyan Desert]] *[[Libyan desert glass]] *[[Kebira Crater]] *[[Cave of Swimmers]]
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7633450.stm Legends haunt remote nomad's land], Matthew Davis, BBC. 25 September 2008. *[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lancashire/7118650.stm 'WWII Army Bag is found in Desert'] *[http://www.fjexpeditions.com/frameset/project.htm Libyan Rock Art Documentation Project] *[https://maps.google.com/maps?q=&t=h&ie=UTF8&om=1&ll=24.47715,25.658569&spn=2.109684,3.416748 google map] *[http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/africa/gilf_kebir_cave_of_swimmers/index.php Gilf Kebir - Cave of Swimmers]
{{Authority control}} {{Saharan rock art|state=collapsed}}
[[Category:Plateaus of Egypt]] [[Category:Mountain ranges of Egypt]] [[Category:Sahara]] [[Category:Saharan rock art]] [[Category:Prehistoric art]] [[Category:New Valley Governorate]]