Dhar Tichitt
Dhar Tichitt is a Neolithic site located in the southwest region of the Sahara Desert, in Mauritania. It is one of several settlement locations along the sandstone cliffs in the area. The cliffs were inhabited by pastoralists starting at around 4000 BP and lasted to around 2000 BP. Dhar Tichitt is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This area is the oldest known archeological settlement sites in the western part of Africa.
Geography
The climate around the Dhar Tichitt region is very arid and hot. However, this was not always the case. Research has shown that the area used to be much more temerate during a time referred to as the Nouakchottian. During this humid phase the area was much more habitable. The Dhar Tichitt region was like this from around 5000 to 3000 before present (BP). During this time the climate was a mixture of two different seasons, a dry season and a shorter rainy season. At around 2500 BP there was a change in the climate and it became to dry for people to stay in the area.[1]
Archaeology
This site is considered a Neolithic site. The Neolithic period or Neolithic Revolution in Africa is marked with a change from a hunter gatherer lifestyle towards a agricultural or pastoralist one. This Dhar Tichitt region was inhabited by pastoralists around 2000 BC.
Notes
- ^ Holl 2009
References
- Holl, Augustin F.C. (2009), "Coping with uncertainty: Neolithic life in the Dhar Tichitt-Walata, Mauritania, (ca. 4000–2300 BP)" (PDF), Comptes Rendus Geoscience, 341: 703–712, doi:10.1016/j.crte.2009.04.005.
- Holl, Augustin (1985), "Subsistence patterns of the Neolithic, Mauritania", African Archaeological Review, 3: 151–162, doi:10.1007/bf01117458, JSTOR 25130453.
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