Nabta Playa is located in the Nubian Desert about 500 miles south of Cairo Egypt. It is a large kidney shaped depression within the desert which would fill up with water during the monsoon season. 6,000 to 7,000 years ago monsoons occurred in that ,but are no more monsoons in the area today.
Stone megaliths, like those of Stonehenge in England, were found at Nabta Playa, except they predated both Stonehenge and the pyramids of Egypt. These stone slabs have a north/south alignment, which, during rainfall, would be partially submerged in the lake. There was also a “Calendar Circle” found within the area as well. The stones of this circle were lined up so that they would have aligned with the summer solstice about 6,800 years ago. This was very important to the people of Nabta Playa back then because it marked the beginning of the very important monsoon season.
They have excavated many human artifacts at the site. However, there has been no human remains found. They did discover a burial chamber but it was occupied by a cow and not human remains. They believe that this bull was ceremoniously killed and that it is an indication that these people were nomadic cattle herders. The people of Nabta Playa collected a wide array of wild food plants, including wild sorghum. Around 4800 years ago, the weather patterns shifted and this once wet place became an arid desert, so the people of Nabta Playa moved on.
Written By: Jennifer Gleason
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