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The Messak Settafet is unique in the world for the abundance and the quality of its rock engravings. You would need months to discover and explore all the rock engravings, knowing their number and scattering on a 10,000 square kilometers (3,860 square miles) massif! Most of them are located far upstream in rock cluttered valleys where you have to go on foot. The best area is around the wadi I-n Habeter because of its easy access. Matkhendush, I-n Galgiwen and El Awrer are the three main sites on the first kilometers of this wadi. Click on thumbnails for a larger version
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Libya ليبيا (Great Libyan Jamahiriya).<br>The giraffes engravings are frequent. Notice the inside smoothing of the animals, typical of the Messak school. Contrarily to other animals, giraffes are engraved in every styles, which suggest that the engravers did their work over a very long period.', 'en', 1);)
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.<br>The two concentrical circles linked by half-spokes, in front of the giraffe, symbolize a radial trap. This trap, that the hunters used to capture big preys, is a wooden hoop onto which thorny palm spikes are braid towards the inside. The trap is tied to a heavy shackle stone called Ben Bârûr and hides a hole diggen on the path of the animal. By putting the leg inside the hole under the palms, the animal is chained down by the Ben Bârûr stone. The spikes turned to the inside prevent any release. That way even an elephant becomes an easy prey.<br>The giraffes engravings are frequent. Contrarily to other animals, giraffes are engraved in every styles, which suggest that the engravers did their work over a very long period.', 'en', 1);)
', 'Matkhendush rock engraving in the Messak Settafet (4,500 B.C.).<br>The men may have domesticated the cattle for the first time in the Middle-East around 6,000 B.C.', 'en', 1);)
', 'Matkhendush rock engraving in the Messak Settafet (4,500 B.C.).<br>The men may have domesticated the cattle for the first time in the Middle-East around 6,000 B.C.', 'en', 1);)
. The loop tail shows the animal is excited. The white rhinoceros, herbivore, disappeared during the Arid post-neolithic (2,500 B.C.).', 'en', 1);)
. The hunters captured ostriches with traps or projectiles. They dressed with the feathers and ate the eggs of which they used the shell as a bowl. Many different styles are overlayed: the biggest ostrich, still fairly realistic, nevertheless exhibits a lighter patina than the stone onto which she was engraved. The other ostriches appear to be crude copies. The smallest, very schematized, are probably from the cameline period (contemporary of J.-Christ).', 'en', 1);)
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 in the Messak Settafet (4,500 B.C.).<br>Crocodile and his child. Notice the complete patina. The double-outlined engraving of the crocodile’s face characterize the Messak school. The crocodiles disappeared during the Arid post-neolithic.', 'en', 1);)
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Guest BookXavier M. Jubier
Solar eclipses:
1999 August 11
2001 June 21
2001 December 14
2002 December 4
2003 November 23
2005 April 8
2006 March 29
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2008 August 1st
2009 January 26
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2010 January 15
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2012 November 14
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1999 August 11
2001 June 21
2001 December 14
2002 December 4
2003 November 23
2005 April 8
2006 March 29
2006 September 22
2008 February 7
2008 August 1st
2009 January 26
2009 July 22
2010 January 15
2010 July 11
2012 May 20
2012 November 14
2013 May 10
2013 November 3
2014 April 29
2015 March 20
2016 March 9
