Tassili n'Ajjer

25.1666666666678.18333333333332158Koordinaten: 25 ° 10 ' N, 8 ° 11' O

The Tassili n'Ajjer, Berber Tasili n Ajjer, Arabic طاسيلي ناجر, DMG Ṭāsīlī nāǧǧar, is a mountain range in the Sahara in Algeria and Southeast forms the northwestern border of Chad Basin. It extends about 500 km from 26 ° 20 ' N, 5 ° 0' O26.3333333333335 east-southeast to 24 ° 0 ' N, 10 ° 0' O2410. The highest point is Jebel Azao with 2,158 m at 25 ° 12 ' N, 8 ° 7' O25.2033333333338.12277777777782158. The nearest town is Djanet, which is located about ten kilometers southeast of the chain.

The chain consists largely of sandstone. Erosion has formed in the area in addition to other interesting forms nearly 300 stone arches.

Because of the altitude and the water- retaining properties of the sandstone, the vegetation is somewhat richer than the surrounding desert. These include a very light- trees of the endangered, endemic Saharan Cypress and Saharan Myrtle in the higher elevations in the east of the area.

The chain is also known for its prehistoric rock paintings and other archaeological sites from the relatively cool period about 6000 years ago. At that time, the local climate was much wetter and more savanna -like than desert -like.

A large part of the mountain range, including the cypresses and archaeological sites are protected by a national park and biosphere reserve, which is also a World Heritage Site and World Heritage Site since 1982.

The inhabitants of the mountains and surrounding desert regions belong to the confederation of Tuareg Kel Ajjer ( people of Ajjer ). Their culture was first researched and described 1850-1860 of the African explorers Heinrich Barth and Henri Duveyrier. The Islamic New Year ( Ashura ) celebrate with the ten-day festival in Djanet Sebiba.