Laas Gaal (Somali: Laas Geel) is a complex of caves and rock shelters in Somaliland (a breakaway region in northwestern Somalia) that is famous for its cave paintings. The caves are located in a rural area on the outskirts of Hargeisa, and contain some of the earliest known rock art in the Horn of Africa and the African continent in general. Laas Gaal's cave paintings are estimated to date back to somewhere between 9,000–8,000 and 3,000 BCE.
The Laas Geel site contains granite caves sheltering about ten rock alcoves decorated with Neolithic cave paintings. The caves are located outside Hargeisa, in an area encompassing a nomadic village, the Naasa Hablood hills. The site overlooks a wide district of countryside, where nomads graze their livestock and wild antelopes roam the vast landscape.
The local nomads used the caves as a shelter when it rained and never paid much attention to the paintings. The site is now guarded by the local villagers and the Ministry of Tourism.
During November and December 2002, an archaeological survey was carried out by a French team in Somaliland. The reason for this was to search for rock shelters and caves containing stratified archaeological infills capable of documenting the period when production economy appeared in this part of the Horn of Africa (circa 5,000 and 2,000 BCE). During the course of the survey, the French archaeological team discovered the Laas Geel cave paintings, encompassing an area of ten rock alcoves (caves). The paintings, in an excellent state of preservation, show ancient humans of the area raising their hands and worshipping humpless cows with large lyre-shaped horns. However, the rock art had been known to the local Somali people for centuries before the French discovery. Yet, the existence of the sites had not been broadcast to the international community.
Furthermore, during November 2003, a mission was planned to go back to the Laas Geel cave paintings. The team undertook a detailed study of the paintings and their prehistoric context.
There are a number of other sites in the area around Hargeisa with similar cave paintings.
The cave paintings are thought to be some of the best preserved in Africa. The paintings represent cows in ceremonial robes accompanied by stocky humans (believed to be inhabitants of the region). The necks of the cows are embellished with a kind of plastron, some of the cows are even wearing decorative robes. The paintings not only show cows, there are also an image of a domesticated dog, several paintings of canidae and even a giraffe.
The paintings are excellently preserved; even under the scorching sun and the past wars that occurred in the region, the paintings have survived intact, and retain their clear outlines and strong colors.
So far, there has been no worldwide publicity considering the Laas Geel cave paintings, hidden from the hustle and bustle of modern life. However, the caves are threatened by people coming to the caves and destroying the peace and serenity, although a reasonable number of tourists and locals visit the caves. One famous journalist and author visited the caves with Osman Bile Ali, the Somaliland Minister for Culture and Tourism.
Simon Reeve visited the cave paintings as part of his television programme called Places That Don't Exist.. Amazed at the excellent preservation and vibrant colors of the paintings, he said that "Laas Ga'al, it transpires, is probably the most significant Neolithic rock painting site in the whole of Africa" and that "few people know that Somaliland is home to such treasures."
Ali, who showed Reeve the site, described the Laas Geel cave paintings as beautiful.
The paintings are now part of the future tourist attractions in the area.
