Photo Gallery

The Tuareg script, the Tifinagh, is reminiscent of that of the ancient Libyan peoples. The rocks often bear engraved signs of this kind; sometimes they are love poems dedicated to the beauties of the desert. Hosseinie, a Tuareg from the Meddak tribe (Tassili N'Ajjer), deciphers «verses». - Algeria - 1966

8 - Tassirés. Oued Tilemsane (Aïr). – Horse epoch. Animals with very schematic lines. The bovine is well rendered, however. There are likely more recent inscriptions in Tifinar. The ox is 0.90 m long.

16 - Agalala (Aïr). - Various periods, particularly Camel Period. This type of document is typical of the edges of paths that have been used for a long time. Height of the rock: 2 m.

64 - Arakao (Aïr). - Many Tifinar characters are added to the figures of the equid period. The exact date of Tifinar writing is unknown, but its structure appears to be very ancient. Height of the two figures: 1 meter.

76 - Guelta Domo. Djado Region. - Engravings called camelines with Tifinagh, camels ridden or unmounted.

86 - Enneri Domo, Arkana site. - Chariot period. Ostrich, oxen, giraffe; tifinars, sheep or goats. On the cart, whose wheels with four spokes are depicted in a "flattened" manner, the central yoke ends in a small crossbar. The floor is reduced to a flat triangle. The rock has a height of 1.77 meters.

148 - Oued Mathendous. In Habeter II. - An ensemble in which it would be tempting to see Garamantian graffiti accompanied by Tifinar inscriptions. The most interesting part is the figure on the right, despite it certainly being a more recent addition: on a massive rectangular "body" with scales facing upwards, there appears a hemispherical structure whose lower part is inserted into the body. The body itself rests on two medium-sized balls placed on two larger balls. Finally, the scaled structure seems to rest on a narrow band with larger scales. No explanation can be given for this engraving of undetermined age. Height of the figure: 2 m. Width of the body: 1.20 m.

222 - Tadrart Acacous. Tin-Achigh. – Very rare representation of a hand engraved in relief. Diagonally along the rock fracture, a crude Tifinagh inscription. Life-size.

241 - Tadrart Acacous. Tin-Anneouin. – A man armed with a spear, attacking another figure wearing a long tunic tightly bound at the waist. Tifinagh characters.

245 - Tadrart Acacous. Tin-Lalan. – Another ritual intercourse scene. This scene has become complex due to overpainting and is difficult to restore. The Europoid figure on the right is a false ithyphallic, the oversized genitals having been added later. The original scene seems to depict the right figure, the ithyphallic genitals at the top center, and the therocéphale facing a woman whose vulva corresponds to a rock defect.

247 - Tadrart Acacous. Tin-Lalan. – The nature of the scene, originally part of invoking the supernatural powers of fertility, has greatly degraded over time. The multiple retouches and difficulty in reconstructing the original work led F. Mori, who saw it, to deny its mythical character. See the chapter "The History of a False Idea: Sex and the Desert". Height of the central figure: 1.22 m.

550 - Tin-Aboteka (Tassili-n'Ajjer). - Indeterminate animal, possibly a dog. The tail is highly imaginative. A serration of the entire contour corresponds to the animal's fur, which is probably of more recent origin and whose age should be determined by the Tifinagh characters. Painted with red ochre.

613 - Alan-Edoument (Tassili-n'Ajjer). – Horse painted in red ochre. The mane is indicated, and the execution is awkward. From the tail to the right front leg, the animal measures 0.25 m.