A team of geochronologists using advanced Uranium-series dating has provided new age estimates for the rock art of Chad’s Ennedi Massif. The results, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, confirm that some of the parietal paintings date back 30,000 years, making them among the oldest documented examples in Africa.
The study utilized calcite crust analysis to provide minimum ages for the pigments, offering new insights into the cognitive and artistic development of early hunter-gatherers in the Central Sahara. This discovery suggests that the Sahara region was a major hub for symbolic expression long before the onset of the Neolithic period.