Taskar Afrika will take you to Birnin Kudu Rock Paintings that was discovered in 1950-1955 in Birnin Kudu. It is notable as having a collection of ancient rock gongs which were used as musical instruments and warning bells
Birnin Kudu rock paintings are one of the fascinating proofs of ancient human civilization in Sub Saharan Africa. These paintings are reputed to be more than two millennia old, situated in the lush landscape of Northern Nigeria.
Birnin Kudu is a historical town of Hausa people and it is best known as the site of Dutsen Habude, a cave containing Neolithic paintings of cattle (which bear strong resemblance to some found in the central Sahara) and rock gongs believed to be more than 2,000 years old. It is a collecting point for peanuts (groundnuts), which are sent to Kano city 76 miles (122 km) west-northwest for export by rail, and is a market centre for millet, sorghum, peanuts, cowpea, cotton and livestock.
These drawings are said to be among the oldest drawings in Nigeria. The first group of paintings on the hill known as Dutsen Mesa is only about a hundred feet from the old motor road and even closer to the pedestrian path.
A masonry wall surmounted by mesh screen has been built by the department to prevent the paintings from being touched, the paintings, has four main styles and four sub-styles are exclusively of domestic cattle with the exception of a single enigmatic drawing which may possibly be a sketch plan of a cattle Kraal. Two main types of cattle are pictured; a long bodied, long-legged humpless breed with long spreading or converging some-times lyre-shaped horns and a short thick-bodied, short horned humpless breed.
In February 1954, two other groups of paintings were found. In April 1955, a fourth group and in June 1955 three groups making a total of seven near Birnin Kudu. The paintings probably belong to the period of transition from Neolithic to the Metal age. Within a hundred feet of Dutsen Mesa, there have been discoveries of more than ten groups of rock gongs, which are huge natural exfoliation of rock, which rest or are wedged in a place favourable to the production of musical notes.
It is believed that in most cases, several players used the rock-gongs as assembling instruments. Further rock-gong sites have been located stretching across Northern Nigeria through the provinces of Sokoto, Zaria, Kano, Plateau, Bauchi and Borno to the Northern Cameroons.
Rock gongs were used during ceremonies for entertainment in connection with religious beliefs or during wartime to warn the farmer of enemy attack.
Birnin Kudu Local Government is situated within the sub-Saharan part of northern Nigeria, typical of this region, the land is almost flat with few undulating hills and scattered rock extrusion. There are a few streams that transverse the length and breadth of the Local Government Area. The climate is hot and dry during summer, cold and dusty in the winter. Rain usually falls between the months of May and September allowing for subsistence farming of mainly cereals such as Guinea corn, Millet, Rice, and Maize and Cash crops such as Beniseed, Ground Nut, Soya beans, and Cassava. It is endowed with rivers, ponds, lakes, forest and fertile soil.
The Local Government area is blessed with cultural tourism potentials. Within the town of Birnin Kudu is a famous rock painting dating back to over 1000 years. The “Dodo” Masquerade is a spectacular cultural display to note.
Source: Taskar Afrika
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