Dr. Fred (Fritz) Hardtke is a research fellow at Macquarie University, Australia. His research interests focus on the iconography of predynastic Egypt, particularly as expressed through rock art. This interest stems from his passion to explore how human societies adapt to and express themselves within harsh environments.. Fred has made rock art his specialty, recognising it as a crucial artifact and medium in deserts around the world—from Australia to North and South Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, South America and India. His expertise lies in understanding the cultural and symbolic significance of rock art in arid landscapes, both in Egypt and Australia.
Fred’s archaeological journey began in 1998 with fieldwork at Helwan, Egypt through Macquarie University. Since then, he has expanded his research to Egypt's Western Desert, focusing on both excavation and rock art recording in Dakhleh Oasis. His work at Hierakonpolis, where he has led the ongoing rock art survey since 2009, has contributed significantly to the understanding of early Egyptian iconography and the presence and placement of rock art around the site. In 2019, Fred became the director of the Australian-Belgian mission to El Hosh, another major Upper Egyptian rock art site, further establishing his role as a leading figure in the study of Egypt’s predynastic rock art.
Fred’s archaeological career reflects his deep interest in how cultures not only survive but thrive in arid environments, leaving behind rich material cultures that tell stories of adaptation, survival, and artistic expression across millennia.
For Publications see Predynastic Rock art and:
https://mq.academia.edu/FredHardtke