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While the Tassili around Djanet is known mainly for the rock paintings, close to the town there is a prehistoric rock engraving that counts among the finest in the whole Sahara. Taking the airport road from Djanet (past the old airport), about halfway there is a well trodden piste turning off to the right. Following this for about 5 kms, one reaches a solitary sandstone pinnacle. Walking around to its rear side, a group of beautiful cattle appear in low relief, with teardrop like features around their eyes, hence the name. At the foot of the cliff a small pool fills after rains (and was probably a permanent one in prehistoric times), with the lower heads positioned in a way as if to drink from the pool. The scene is illuminated by the sun from the mid afternoon, with earlier times offering better relief, as the sun slowly turns to give full illumination of the rock face.
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