Photo Gallery

Wadi Mathendous. In Habeter III - On the edge of the Mathendous river valley, you will find this cliff with very beautiful naturalistic engravings from the Bubalin period depicting giraffes and an elephant. The fractures in the rock are sometimes recent. They then damage the figures. Sometimes they are old and the artist has taken them into account. Height of the giraffe from the hooves to the end of the horn: 2.25 m. - Libya - 1969

15 - Oued Tagalalat (Aïr). - Despite the weakness of the engraving style, this is indeed a document from the Horse Period. The warriors, shaped like a diabolo, are equipped with spears and shields. On the right, note the exceptional beast. A hoofed animal resembling a lion (?). The head, achieved by peripheral punching, shows the two eyes in a "flat" position (diocular technique). Length of the lion: 0.30 m.

20 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - Wall overloaded with graffiti. While the figures from the Horse Period are identifiable, the rest makes little sense. Note an axe at the top, in the center.

21 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - Pastoral Period? It is difficult to associate these giraffes with those from Oued Tafidet: their attribution to one style or another is difficult.

23 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - Horse Period. A figure without a weapon, carrying an indeterminate round object on the left arm. Decoration on the central part of the body. From the top of the feathers to the base of the feet: 1.10 m.

24 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - End of the Pastoral Period. Five highly stylized giraffes. From the head to the base of the legs of the largest giraffe: 0.95 m.

25 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - Pastoral period. In the Sahel, near domesticated cattle, giraffes are not rare. Their abundance should therefore not be surprising. Remember the crumbly nature of the rocks in the Air mountains. Height of the large giraffe: 0.65 m.

29 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - Very schematic stippled engravings. The central figure does not clearly evoke equids. To its right, a figure with a bi-triangular garment and a head in an inverted U-shape. The central figure is 0.70 m tall.

30 - Tagueït bas (Aïr). - Figures with "ant head" (equids) set against a background of animals (domesticated?). Note the spears and round shields. The animals measure between 0.30 and 0.40 m in height.

38 - Tagueït high (Aïr). – This giraffe fresco, remarkable for the work of punctuating and line engraving it required, does not date from the same period as the two figures, one of which is an archer leading the herd, and which seem much later. The main animals measure between 0.60 m and 0.80 m. The rock itself is 2.40 m long.

Maximilien Bruggmann photographing the giraffe fresco in Tagueït.

46 - Tanakom (Aïr). - Still giraffes. Their number can be explained either by the engravers' interest or by their diversity. These are very well observed. Slab height: 0.45 m.

47 - Tanakom (Aïr). - Pastoral period. Various quadrupeds. The interest lies in the two figures in the center. The one on the left would fit well in a modern art museum and does not allow for any satisfactory explanation. The one on the right may be holding a bow.

48 - Tanakom (Aïr). - Decadent giraffes. The largest measures 0.85 m in height.

49 - Tanakom (Aïr). - Character with an "ant head" in a praying position. Small intentional character between the two larger ones. Equid period. Religious scene. The appendage between the legs may be the tail of the animal preserved on a leather tunic.

51 - Tanakom (Aïr). - Spotted elephant, strange schematic animals. Note the three stylized figures. Height of the elephant: 0.45 m.

An overview of the two previous photos.

54 - Large fresco from Anakom (Aïr). - A well-observed rider, oryx, antelopes, ostriches, Tifinars show the continuity of mankind since the arrival of the "equids". The animal with a diamond-shaped coat is 0.47 m long. The large antelope on the right is 0.52 m long.

55 - Anakom (Aïr). - The galloping oryx stand out from many graffiti. The small horse, near a man armed with a spear and shield, is also engraved by someone familiar with the equid world. At the bottom right, a man with a U-shaped head. Although of the same type as the previous one, the character on the left (0.75 m tall) has a "sun-shaped" head.

70 - Dabous (Western Aïr). - Animal fresco: giraffe, goats (?) etc. Note the deep lines of the engraving, despite the "equine" appearance of the giraffe, which measures 1.15 meters from the nostrils to the tail.

73 - Dabous (Western Aïr). - Rare and very beautiful giraffe head. The snout, horns, and ears are polished. The mane is highlighted. This giraffe is reproduced in its entirety in photo 74. Note the rope hanging from the snout...