What is the famous archaeological plateau in Algeria known for its prehistoric rock art?

Tassili n’Ajjer is the Algerian plateau famous for its prehistoric rock art. Its sandstone landscape contains thousands of paintings and engravings created over many millennia.

The art includes images of cattle, wild animals, hunters and human figures. These scenes provide evidence that parts of the Sahara once had wetter conditions, grasslands and richer wildlife than they do today. The earliest imagery is generally associated with hunter-gatherers, while later phases reflect pastoral communities.

Tassili n’Ajjer is a vast mountain plateau in southeastern Algeria, near the borders with Libya and Niger. Erosion has carved its sandstone into corridors, cliffs and natural shelters that helped preserve the artwork.

The site became a major focus of archaeological and ethnographic research in the twentieth century and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its paintings are not merely decorative: they document changing environments, technologies and ways of life in ancient North Africa.