Tassili n'Ajjer

Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = Tassili n'Ajjer


State Party = ALG
Type = Mixed
Criteria = i, iii, vii, viii
ID = 179
Region = Arab States
Year = 1982
Session = 6th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/179Infobox_protected_area | name = Tassili n'Ajjer National Park
iucn_category = II

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caption =
locator_x =
locator_y =
location = Tamanrasset Province, Algeria
nearest_city =
lat_degrees = 25
lat_minutes = 10
lat_seconds =
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 8
long_minutes = 10
long_seconds =
long_direction = E
area = 72,000 km²
established = 1972
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body =

Tassili n'Ajjer (Tamazight, "Plateau of the Rivers") is a mountain range in the Sahara desert in southeast Algeria, North Africa. It extends about 500 km from coord|26|20|N|5|00|E| east-south-east to coord|24|00|N|10|00|E|, and the highest point is Adrar Afao, 2158 m, at coord|25|10|N|8|11|E|. The nearest town is Djanet, about 10 km southwest of the range.

Much of the range, including the cypresses and archaeological sites (see below), is protected in a National park, Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site, named the Tassili n'Ajjer National Park.

Geology

The range is composed largely of sandstone. Erosion in the area has resulted in nearly 300 natural rock arches being formed, along with many other spectacular landforms.

Ecology

Because of the altitude and the water-holding properties of the sandstone, the vegetation is somewhat richer than the surrounding desert; it includes a very scattered woodland of the endangered endemic species Saharan Cypress and Saharan Myrtle in the higher eastern half of the range.

The ecology of the Tassili n'Ajjer is more fully described in the article West Saharan montane xeric woodlands, the ecoregion to which this area belongs. The literal English translation of "Tassili n'Ajjer" is 'Plateau of the rivers' referring to a time when the climate was repeatedly far more wet than today (see Neolithic Subpluvial).

Prehistoric art

The range is also noted for its prehistoric rock paintings and other ancient archaeological sites, dating from neolithic times when the local climate was much moister, with savannah rather than desert. The art depicts herds of cattle, large wild animals including crocodiles, and human activities such as hunting and dancing. The art has strong stylistic links to the pre-Nguni Art of South Africa and the region, executed in caves by the San Peoples before the year 1200 CE.

Further reading

* Bahn P -G (1998) The Cambridge illustrated history of prehistoric art. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
* Bradley R (2000) An archaeology of natural places. London, Routledge.
* Bruce-Lockhart J and Wright J (2000) Difficult and dangerous roads: Hugh Clapperton's travels in the Sahara and Fezzan 1822-1825.
* Chippendale C and Tacon S -C (eds) (1998) The archaeology of rock art. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
* Coulson D and Campbell A (2001) African rock art. Paintings and engravings on stone. New York, Harry N Abrams.
* Van Albada A.&A.-M. (2000): La Montagne des Hommes-Chiens. Art rupestre du Messak lybien. Paris, Seuil.
* Clottes J. (2002): World Rock Art. Los Angeles, The Getty Publications.
* Lhote, H (1959) The search for the Tassili frescoes: the rock paintings of the Sahara. London.
* Le Quellec J -L (1998) Art rupestre et prehistoire du Sahara. Le Messak libyen. Paris, Editions Payot et Rivages, Biblioteque Scientifique Payot.
* Mattingly D (ed) (forthcoming) The archaeology of the Fezzan.
* Muzzolini A (1997) Saharan rock art. In Vogel J O (ed) Encyclopedia of Precolonial Africa. Walnut Creek: 347-353.
* Whitley D S (ed) (2001) Handbook of rock art research. New York, Altamira Press.
* "Saharan Rock Art, Archaeology of Tassilian Pastoralist Icongraphy", by Augustin F.C. Holl (2004)

* "Tassili n'Ajjer: Art rupestre du Sahara préhistorique", by Jean-Dominique Lajoux (1977)

* "The Search for the Tassili Frescoes: The story of the prehistoric rock-paintings of the Sahara", by Henri Lhote (1959, 1973)

See also

* Rock art of Figuig
* Rock art of south Oran (Algeria)
* Saharan rock art
* Rock art of the Djelfa region

External links

* [http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/tassili.html World Conservation Monitoring Centre]
* [http://naturalarches.org/tassili/ The natural arches of the Tassili n'Ajjer]
* [http://www.fjexpeditions.com/tassili.html Tassili n'Ajjer - fjexpeditions.com]