Messak Settafet plateau in the Sahara Desert

Today’s Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features the Messak Settafet, a rocky plateau located in the central Sahara Desert. It is part of the greater Messak Plateau, which stretches between the Erg Uan Kasa and the Murzuq Sand Sea. 

The plateau’s surface is characterized by blackened sandstone, sculpted by thousands of years of wind erosion. This dark patina, often referred to as “desert varnish,” adds to its distinctive appearance. The region is starkly beautiful but harsh, with extreme temperatures and minimal vegetation.

Image of the Messak Settafet

“Towering over the desert in southwestern Libya, the Messak Settafet plateau resembles the wall of a giant fortress, with its dark, erosion-resistant sandstone separating the Ubari Sand Sea to the north and the Marzūq Sand Sea to the south,” noted NASA.

“The large outcrop of Cretaceous rock features a sharp escarpment on its north side. The cliff, some 300 meters (1,000 feet) high in places, is lined with a thin dark shadow.” 

“Dark debris from rockfalls is visible to the north. Note that an optical illusion called relief inversion can make high-elevation areas appear low and vice versa when shadows appear on the northern side of a feature.”

Archaeological significance of the plateau 

Messak Settafet is often referred to as the “land of stone tools” because it is one of the world’s largest sites for prehistoric tools. 

The area is littered with countless stone tools and artifacts dating back to various prehistoric periods, including the Acheulean and Neolithic. These tools offer insights into early human technology and adaptation to desert environments.

“Signs of ancient tool making cover much of the plateau’s surface,” said NASA. “According to one archaeological survey, people discarded so many stone tools and rock fragments on the plateau over hundreds of thousands of years that roughly 75 artifacts per square meter now carpet the surface.” 

“That makes this one of the earliest known examples of hominins modifying an entire landscape, according to the University of Cambridge archaeologists who conducted the survey.”

“Other signs of ancient activity include the bright spots that dot the image. These areas were likely quarrying pits where people dug up rocks and crafted them into tools, the archaeologists reported.” 

Rock art on the plateau 

The plateau is home to numerous petroglyphs and carvings. These engravings depict animals, humans, and symbolic designs, providing valuable clues about the lives, beliefs, and environments of the region’s ancient inhabitants. 

“For instance, Wadi Mathendous, a prehistoric archaeological site located in the southern part of the plateau, contains engravings of rhinoceroses, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, fighting cats, giraffes, long-horned buffaloes, and elephants. The art is thought to be about 8,000 years old,” said NASA.

Some of the animals depicted, such as giraffes and elephants, indicate that the Sahara was once a much wetter and more hospitable environment.

Cultural significance of the Messak Settafet

Messak Settafet forms part of the Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985. This designation highlights the area’s importance for understanding early human culture and environmental changes in the Sahara.

The plateau has been a critical area for studying the migration and adaptation of early humans. Its archaeological richness offers a glimpse into how humans thrived in this region during periods when the climate was wetter.

“Although the plateau now receives less than 0.4 inches of rain annually, clues in the landscape make clear it was once much wetter,” noted NASA.

“Deeply incised dried stream valleys, or wadis, crisscross the plateau, indicating significant past water flow. The small, bright features scattered across the plateau are sand and silt deposits left where water once pooled.”

The Messak Settafet, like many remote desert regions, faces challenges such as erosion, vandalism of ancient rock art, and the potential impacts of development. Efforts to preserve its archaeological treasures are vital for protecting its cultural and scientific significance.

The image was captured November 17, 2024 by the Operational Land Imager-2 (OLI-2) on Landsat 9 on 

Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory

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