Djanet

Geography

Djanet is located at the foot of the plate of the Tassili Ajjer, at an altitude of 1050 Mr. It is crossed by the Idjeriou wadi (meaning the sea ) which makes it possible to feed the palm plantation. It is an important axis of communication of connection with Ghât in close Libya.

History

The area of Djanet is inhabited since the Neolithic era, there is more than 10,000 years, at one time when the desert did not occupy this part of the Sahara. The vegetation and the fauna were luxuriant, as recalled by the very many rupestral Gravures of Tassili which surround Djanet. Populations of hunters-gatherers were installed.

Djanet is founded with the Moyen-âge by the Tuaregs. From 1915 to 1962, the oasis of Djanet bore the name of Fort-Charlet, in remembering the captain Edouard Charlet who proceeded to the peaceful occupation of Djanet, on November 27th, 1911, with the head of 135 Méhariste S of the Saharan Compagnie of Tiddikelt which it ordered then. It initiated with them work of improvement of the oasis, in particular by building a road. If this fort had not been occupied by the French Army, it would have been it probably by Turkish, who sought at the time extending their influence in this area. One can make the assumption that it would be currently Libyan .

Economy

The oasis of Djanet is relatively rich in water and of this fact an important market gardening developed. The important palm plantation of 30,000 palm trees, produces obviously dates, but also the majority of the vegetables (potatoes, beets, tomatos…) and of the fruits (olives, citrus fruits…) necessary to the local economy. Djanet is also a road crossroads or forward goods coming from Ghât in the south of the Libya and the close Niger.

Tourism organized by the Tuaregs particularly developed these ten last years and made it possible the town of benefit from the small industry which accompanies it (small hotel trade, local Tuareg craft industry…). Djanet became thus one of the main doors of three different Saharan areas: the Tassili Ajjer in the west, the red Tadrart towards the south, and not far from the Libyan Akakus. This area of the Sahara east of an important geographical diversity (one finds there practically all the types of deserts in a rather reduced perimeter), and of a great archaeological richness because of its 5000 rupestral engravings indexed, redécouvertes in 1934 and which would be dated, for oldest, of the flourishing period before the desert does not settle, approximately 12,000 years ago.

Djanet has a track of airport where forward tourists and goods at average intervals of one to two rotations per week according to the seasons.

External bonds

Official site of Djanet
Descriptions by Pierre Collombel and Yves Gauthier of CNRS of parietal art of Tassili Ajjer.

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