Niola Doa

Niola Doa, generally translated as the place of the maidens, is a group of engraved panels in the Ennedi showing standing female figures roughly life size, their bodies covered in dense geometric patterning that has been read as scarification, body paint or clothing. They are unlike anything else in Saharan rock art in scale and finish. Their date is uncertain but they are usually placed in the period when the Sahara was still grassland.

What you actually see

• The engraved figures - standing women at roughly life size, deeply cut.
• The body patterning - the dense geometric decoration covering the figures.
• The distinctive style - carving unlike anything else in Saharan rock art.
• The green Sahara context - the period when this was grassland rather than desert.

When to go

November to February is the cool season and the practical window. Low sun in morning and evening shows the engravings best. March to May is extremely hot.

Honest expectations

Reaching the site requires a full desert expedition with guides who know it; there is nothing marking it. Some panels have been damaged. Touching or wetting engravings to photograph them destroys them.

Nearby

Aloba Arch is nearby, and Fada is the region's town.