Tassili N'Ajjer Facts: Things You Might Not Have Heard Before

Tassili N'Ajjer is a region in southern Algeria where prehistoric rock carvings were discovered.

It has numerous engravings discovered for the first time in the '10s and have been found repeatedly since then. The region in the central Sahara is known for its high cliffs.

Tassili N'Ajjer, meaning a plateau of rivers, is situated in the Sahara Desert on a vast plateau of southeastern Algeria. Tassili N'Ajjer has one of the most prominent prehistoric art and cave paintings in the world.

Tassili N'Ajjer is distributed across 28,000 sq mi (72,000 sq km). In 1982, it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list and named Tassili N'Ajjer National Park.

Discovery And History

Some of the cliffs in this national park have ornamental panels at their base. Several archeologists and scholars have determined the age group of rock art paintings by looking over specific methods such as indirect excavations, fauna studies, climate studies, depictions of paintings, and inscribed materials.

The age of the world's first rock art is uncertain, but most authorities believe they date from about 7,000 years ago. The paintings at Tassili N'Ajjer National Park fall into a series of major styles.

The earliest, known as the Round Heads, are followed by naturalistic paintings called Bovidian. These show many scenes with cattle and herders or human figures with bows. The next phase is characterized by more schematic figures made when the wheel first appeared about 3,000 years ago.

In Tassili N'Ajjer National Park, the inscriptions and rock engravings commemorate a renowned early art period. The Naturalistic Bubaline was the name of this school.

The cave art depicted domestic cattle and wild animals, such as the now-extinct giant buffalo, using a very naturalistic style. The vegetation in this area is more prosperous than in the surrounding desert because of the sandstone's altitude and water-holding properties.

There are some rare plants in the national park, including a type of cypress that is only found in this area and a type of myrtle that is also endangered. The Tassili cypress is one of the world's oldest, with Bristlecone pines in the western United States.

The majority of the rock formations in this national park are composed of sandstone. The eroded sandstone has a thin outer coating of deposited metallic oxides, which cause the rock formations to be of various colors, from near-black to dark red.

In the southeast, erosion has created almost 300 rock arches that have occurred naturally and deep gorges and permanent water pools on the northside.

The plateau and mountain range of the national park is both geologically and visually attractive. Its panorama of eroded sandstone rock formations, including rock forests formed of fractured sandstone, gives it a lunar appearance and complements the rock formations.

People mainly occupied Tassili N'Ajjer National Park during the Neolithic period and lived a pastoralist lifestyle. This type of lifestyle is suitable for both humans and livestock. The area had good geography, elevation, and natural resources, which made it perfect for small groups to camp there during the dry season.

The highlands have evidence that people have been living there since 5,500 BCE. The lowlands have proof that people have been living there since 6,000 BCE.

People were living in the lowlands during the rainy season. There are many places in the sandstone forests where evidence of these artifacts can be found. These include ceramic pots, grinders, lithic arrowheads, bowls, beads, and jewelry.

Tassili N'Ajjer's archeological evidence suggests that the area went from a hunter-gatherer mode of existence to pastoralism due to the African Humid period during the early Holocene. Rock arts and zooarchaeology bolster this.

In addition, research has demonstrated that the shift from hunting and gathering to farming was part of a larger trend and climate change throughout the central Sahara. However, the climate was not constant.

The Sahara was divided between arid lowlands and humid highlands. In the form of hunter-gatherer societies, the traces of human settlement date back between 10,000 and 7,500 BCE. From 7,500 years ago onward, people began to settle down as pastoral groups to withstand the more volatile climate.

Cattle were driven over vast regions as far back as 3,000 BCE. Horses and camels followed afterward. Camel's entrance signified a significant boost in trans-Saharan commerce since they were primarily utilized for trade caravans.

Inscriptions And Paintings

The formation of the rock system in Tassili N'Ajjer National Park is known for the many prehistoric rock art paintings on its walls. The cultural heritage of art dates back to the early Neolithic era when the Sahara was a green savanna instead of the desert it is now.

The age of most of these paintings is estimated to be around 12,000 years old, but some may be older.

This art was dated by gathering minor chips from the painted panels that had dried out and flaked away before going under the debris. The subjects depicted in the art include giant wild animals like antelopes and crocodiles, cattle herds, and humans who perform activities such as hunting and dancing.

These art forms that frequently occur in the Tassili N'Ajjer National Park are some of the earliest art forms from the Central Saharan region. There are a lot of them at Tassili. Even though Algeria is close to the Iberian Peninsula, the art at Tassili N'Ajjer developed differently from European art.

There are five distinct art styles at Tassili N'Ajjer National Park: Archaic, Round Head, Bovidian, Horse, and Camel. The Archaic period was when people hunted animals in the Sahara. The animals were drawn realistically, and some were drawn in geometric shapes. A hunting scene is depicted throughout such art forms.

The Round Head period is associated with portrayals of human beings. These artworks are distinct from the Archaic tradition. The art of this period is almost entirely art forms, and several of the oldest and biggest exposed rock art forms in Africa have survived.

The Round Head moniker is due to the distinctive depiction of floating individuals with circular heads without showing any features and figures floating on the rock surface. These art forms are found in certain places on the plateau, which states the importance of those places used for rites and rituals.

The third style is known as Bovidian, and it depicted the cattle and their domestication. It also shows the subtle shift to nomadic practices.

Variations between styles translate to the conversing of multiple cultural groups within the area. Animals such as dogs, sheep, goats, cattle, and familial settings are shown. This style shows human life and its emerging societal changes.

The fourth art depiction, Horse, shows further topographical changes to the Sahara and a need for novel traveling techniques. Action art forms are being thoroughly demonstrated with the prominent use of horses, chariots, and hunting. Vague services of Berber texts have made their presence near the art forms, but they are not decipherable.

The final art form, Camel, shows a difference in the animal selection; the depiction of camels takes place as it reveals the changes from horses to camels. Camels may have come with trade routes that linked the Sahara to Europe and Asia.

These trade lines were crucial for transporting goods and people. Camels enabled longer trips. Cows and goats are also vaguely shown.

Conservation Steps Being Taken

Tassili N'Ajjer National Park has been inculcated in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. It has been stated as a national park and a biosphere reserve for the cypresses. The Tassili N'Ajjer National Park preserves all of the site's natural beauty and all areas of biological and ecological diversity, and all-important rock art sites and landscapes.

The Tassili N'Ajjer World Heritage National Park is undergoing several conservation and management initiatives. These include measures to control tourism, which can damage fragile rock art, and efforts to combat desertification. In addition, the Algerian government has established a research center at the site to study the Tassili N'Ajjer rock art, cultural heritage, and its artifacts.

FAQs

Is Tassili N'Ajjer safe?

Yes, Tassili N'Ajjer National Park is safe to visit. Visitors should always exercise caution when traveling in the Sahara Desert and avoid areas that are not clearly designated as tourist spots. It is also crucial to remember and prepare for the journey depending on the temperature in that region.

When was Tassili N'Ajjer discovered?

Tassili N'Ajjer National Park was well-known to early 20th century westerners, but it was only discovered by some French servicemen. They took sketches and brought a French archaeologist, named Henri Lhote, who subsequently returned to Tassili numerous times between 1956 and 1997.

However, his efforts have been criticized because they accuse him of doctoring pictures and defacing actual colors to make them brighter for photographs, which caused significant damage.

How old are Tassili N'Ajjer cave paintings?

Scholars have generally agreed that the earliest images date back to around 7,000 years ago.

What is the name of the explorer that found the paintings at the Tassili N'Ajjer plateau?

Henri Lhote was the explorer that found the arts at Tassili N'Ajjer plateau.

Who discovered the Tassili N'Ajjer?

Tassili N'Ajjer National Park was previously well-known, but it eventually became more popular due to sketches drawn by French servicemen, especially Lieutenant Brenans, in the '30s.

Where is the Neolithic rock painting at Tassili N'Ajjer located?

The Neolithic rock painting is located in Tassili N'Ajjer National Park.

How old is the rock painting?

The earliest work of art is thought to have been created about 12,000 years ago.

How do the drawings in the Tassili N'Ajjer show climate change and migration?

Tassili N'Ajjer National Park cave arts illustrate climate change and migration because they show the effects of time on the environment. People herding animals is one example of this, implying that the climate was different. People hunting wild animals refers to other changes.

What do the rock paintings of Tassili N'Ajjer in North Africa show?

The rock arts found in Tassili N'Ajjer are the most eloquent testimony of how humans have interacted with their environment over time. The arts show how the climate has changed and how wildlife has migrated. It also provides a record of the evolution of humanity.