3000 Years Petroglyphs
3000 Years Petroglyphs, 20 kilometers from Guider, Cameroon, includes petroglyphs dating from 3000 to 300 years old. The monument is being considered for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list of places with "great universal worth" to the world, which is being threatened by local cement and marble manufacturing industries. The Rupestral Engravings of Bidzar, on the other hand, feature a marble field with a Cipolin outcrop covering 130 square kilometers. This is situated on Maroua Garoua road. Marble engravings with diagrammatic representations adorn the flagstone. The art represented in this engraving is part of Cameroon's cultural heritage. This engraving, known as the geometric styles diagram, is thought to be man-made, with some examples dating back over 300 years.
The engravings were carved on calcareous marble, which had its pale color changed by the presence of schist rich in chlorites, resulting in shades of green, yellow, blue, or pink. This marble appears to have been chosen voluntarily because it has a low resistance to engraving, whereas nearby rocks such as granite and mica-schist are too hard and too soft. Only iron tools could have carved the engravings; the initial layer of marble is easily removed, revealing the white and most resistant area of the rock. The Bidzar engravings certainly have a message, but it is up to the individual to interpret it. Furthermore, the local people are unaware of their significance.
Location: 3000 Years Petroglyphs, Cameroon
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