The Tibesti Mountains contain some of the most important prehistoric rock art in Africa — thousands of engravings and paintings covering canyon walls and rock faces across the range. Dating from the African Humid Period (roughly 10,000–4,000 BCE), when the Sahara was green and well-watered, the images show elephants, hippopotamuses, giraffes, cattle, and human figures. They document a landscape entirely different from what you see today.
The rock art sites are scattered across the Tibesti and are encountered en route to Emi Koussi. Any serious expedition includes guides who know the sites. The engravings are not protected or fenced — they are simply part of the landscape, which adds to their power and their vulnerability.