This rock art is an important record of the past environmental conditions that prevailed in the Sahara, the world’s largest hot desert. These images depict a period approximately 6,000-11,000 years ago called the Green Sahara or North African Humid Period. Our results demonstrate the sensitivity of the Sahara Desert to changes in past climate. The similarity between the precession cycle and the timing of the humid periods indicates that precession is their dominant driver. Our ability to model the African humid periods helps us understand the alternation of humid and arid phases.

Source: The North Africa Journal December 15, 2023 14:00 UTC