Djelfa region in ancient times

The region dates back to prehistoric times, and this is evidenced by the richness of the region of very important archaeological sites, represented by rock carvings dating back to the prehistoric period, specifically the period that archaeologists call (Neolithic), or what is known as rock carvings. And the drawings 'with red ocher', and by virtue of the strategic location of the region belonging to the Desert Atlas series, it has a place in terms of the balance of archaeological sites, not only in terms of the number of sites that have been counted, but in terms of the topics that were dealt with in the rock inscriptions, the paintings that were made by an artist Prehistory, they are very important topics that highlight mental and psychological development, and they are paintings classified within the "Written Stone", which conveys and simulates a reality for periods of time in which history was not.

The archaeological bag of Djelfa is characterized by its possession of many stations of rock art, which are the paintings that were discovered a century ago, and many researchers who applied many approaches, based on description and introducing rock art within the framework of a "chronological" time division, fought in it.

Sites that constitute a tourist tributary and a rich destination for archeology researchers who do not hesitate to visit them, and learn from their historical implications and mysteries. They are distributed across the municipalities of "Zakkar, Ain al-Naqa, Massad, Ain al-Abel, Ta'zamit and Djelfa."

An inventory of these sites resulted in the identification of 47 archaeological sites, with about 1,162 rock inscriptions of various shapes and indications. However, there was no evidence of the existence of residential traces, which suggests that the inhabitants were nomads.
The excavations that were found in the Djelfa region indicated its ancientness, which is rooted in the depths of history. It embodied evidence of past civilizations, and those remnants of antiquities confirmed an urban presence that disappeared with the passage of ages. The history of human presence in the region dates back to the prehistoric era. At the beginning of the twentieth century, inscriptions and rock paintings dating back to 9000 BC were found, distributed over several stations in Djelfa, the most important of which is the 'Ain al-Naqa' station, which is about 45 km south. And abound with a group of animal drawings.

Some archaeological inscriptions can be seen on the southern slopes of the Saharan Atlas in the areas of: "Bukhail, Massaad, Ain al-Abel and Sidi Makhlouf Basin", and three of them are located in "Khang Taqah in Al-Idrisiyya", and three others are located in the north of "Wadi Hadaba" in Fayd Al-Butma, which is "Fayja lben ", Sidi Abdullah bin Ahmed, and Al-Arqoub.

There are still traces of extinct animal remains in the region, such as the ancient buffalo and the black rhinoceros, and other animals such as the wild and domesticated Arabian horse and camel. The region was known for some 'libico-barbaric' writings on the prehistoric period, and some Arabic writing after the advent of the conqueror 'Uqba ibn Nafi' in the seventh century AD.

And by using the tools of the stones 'silikes' and the existing archaeological layers, it allowed the identification of the Stone Age in the 'Ain al-Naqa' area around 7000 BC and the Neolithic Age 5000 BC.

Among the discovered and classified sites is the "Zakkar" archaeological site, which is located southeast of Djelfa, 37 km to the south, and is known as "Deir Al-Daqaourin", discovered in 1907 by Judge "Mawni", and classified as a national heritage in 1982. It contains a rocky hideout that displays an artistic painting. Wonderful for a moving hunting scene, highlighting the real-time movement of the natural stalking relationship of an antelope, reduced from behind to vanish under the grip of a lion, as well as a group of animals 'ostrich, four elephants, cows, lamb', with a total of 37 inscriptions carried by the site, in addition to all this two rock facades. Also among the archaeological sites is the site of 'Ain al-Naqa', which is located 33 km south of Djelfa, not far from the urban neighborhood of the village administratively affiliated to the municipality of 'Al Majbara'. Discovered by Kadid Belkheir, François Duveillary", and classified as a national heritage in 1979. His paintings "The two ancient buffaloes" are displayed, and a painting called "The Two Shy Lovers", not to mention a mural showing a hunter carrying an ax accompanying three dogs, and three people with round heads. Someone raised his hands, holding the round disc.

In 2016, another archaeological site was discovered in the city of 'Ain al-Abel', not far from the archaeological site classified as 'Suffocation of the Crescent'. Drawing of a woman. Traces of a dinosaur were also discovered in the municipality of Al Majbara, and about 28 traces were counted, "not all of them in good condition," according to the same source.

Djelfa truly represents the most important regions of Algeria that hold archaeological sites that strike deep into history, especially in the prehistoric period through ancient civilizations and Roman civilization. Perhaps the only mysterious period that lacks a lot of research is the Islamic period, as well as the presence of the Ottomans or not in the region prior to the French occupation.

The researchers concluded at the time, in theirstudy of rock art and its connection with other antiquities, to dividingprehistoric periods into four periods, including "the period of ancientbuffaloes, cows, as well as the stage of horses, then camels", which thusrepresents the specificity of the region that does not exist in the rock art ofthe Tassili, Nor in the Hoggar.