Life and Death - shefa salem

Life and death

The Jackal is a mythical creature in Libyan rock art. Among all the animals, a prehistoric man in Libya chose the head of a jackal to create an imaginary creature. This creature with the head of a jackal is widespread and abundant in their murals, especially in the Masak. It often appears armed with an axe or dagger and shows very aggressive teeth. In other cases in the Masak, the jackal appears smiling and perhaps laughing and making movements that indicate simplicity and kindness. The jackal was associated with life and death by prehistoric men in Libya. It is a symbol of death when it appears with animals upside down and falling into the void. This animal is usually a rhinoceros in most murals, and at other times it is with elephants at the moment of birth to help and provide assistance. These murals contain a great contradiction to the role of the jackal in Libyan mythology. In this sculpture, the creature that embodies the jackal is embodied as a symbol of death. We find the rhinoceros falling upside down into the void, representing the transition to the other world. Also, Tanit appears, which represents the fertility religion of prehistoric man. The hands The offering here is a veneration of the cycle of life, death, and fertility after drought.
2024