514

Site
Site name
RA01/69
Toponym(s) of the site

Ti-n-Ascigh III

Description

A shallow rock shelter known as Ti-n-Ascigh, located along a right tributary of the Wadi Senaddar, near Site ID 515. The back wall is one of the best-known petroglyph sites and has been used to reconstruct the relative chronology of the different styles. The central panel is indeed a palimpsest of overlapping petroglyphs with at least five different layers of execution. The oldest layer (Layer 1) includes two large petroglyphs representing a rhino on the left and a Bubalus on the right. Three possible human figures with raised arms stand between the two animals. The representation of a feline (or monkey) located to the left, on Panel 2, likely belongs to the same layer. All subjects are deeply carved and covered with a dark varnish. A large giraffe with head retouching comprises Layer 2 on the panel’s right side. Layer 3 includes at least four giraffes: two in the middle of the palimpsest and two on the bottom left-hand corner. A pair of cattle appear to belong to the same layer. At the bottom of the panel, Layer 4 includes a few human figures and camels. The fifth, most recent layer contains pecked camels. Tifinagh and Arabic inscriptions are disseminated all over the wall.