ABSTRACT
Investigating aspects related to the identity of Early Holocene hunter-gatherers entails studying their biological characteristics and funerary practices, together with certain aspects of material culture, and ideological and artistic expressions. Though limited in quantity, human remains from southwestern Libya provide helpful information about Late Acacus foragers – no Early Acacus burial has been found – especially when compared with data from other central and southern Saharan contexts. Genomic studies on ancient and modern samples are still in their infancy but offer a fresh perspective on interregional dynamics in North Africa. Societal, ideological, and artistic features are mirrored in the material culture – not only stones and pots, but also engraved ostrich eggshells, bone and wooden tools, and the like. Finally, rock engravings, possibly as old as the Early Acacus contexts, and Round Heads artworks likely associated with Late Acacus communities are then situated in the wider Saharan picture.
