La vache qui pleure

A massive sand monolith lies about 25 kilometers from the oasis of Djanet in southeast Algeria, on the eastern edge of erg Admer towards Tassili n'Ajjer in the Tigharghart region. The rock engravings of La vache qui pleure (the wailing cow), which date back over 7000 years, can be found on one side of the monolith's rocks.

As one of the most beautiful historical sites in Algeria, the rock engravings of La vache qui pleure are a Neolithic sculpture masterpiece. The engravings, which are constructed of deep grooves etched into the rock and carried out in bas-relief, are of amazing artistry and harmony. The engravings depict a small herd of bovidae leaning against a little depression at the foot of the rock. The tear dropped by one of these cows has spawned a slew of stories and interpretations.

A tear falls from a cow's eye while being milked, according to a bas-relief in the coffin of queen Khouit, wife of Pharaoh Mentuhotep II of the 11th Dynasty.

Location: Djanet, Algeria