Contribution of rock art petroglyphs to the classification of the Lopé National Park as a mixed World Heritage site (Gabon-West central Africa)
Résumé
Rock engravings represent a particularly rich and moving dimension of prehistory. They seem to constitute one of the first, frustrated and clumsy scriptures that man in his desire to express himself, has entrusted to the rock in an eternal message. These petroglyphs thus represents a kind of documentary film on the spiritual aspirations of prehistoric peoples. We will present the rock art within the regional framework peculiar to West Central Africa and then discuss the rock engravings of the valley of Ogooué. We will explain how the rock engravings contributed to the classification of the Lopé National Park as a World Heritage Site.