The Earliest Berbers in the Sahara: In the Central Sahara between 3000 and 1000 BC

Archaeological evidence reveals that the earliest Berber groups migrated into the central Sahara between 3000 and 2000 BC, coinciding with a period of relative humidity before the region's shift to aridity. These groups, likely originating from the east and north, spread across Tassili n'Ajjer, leaving behind intricate rock art that stands among the world's finest Neolithic representations. The study suggests that Black population groups dominated the Sahara during earlier pastoral phases, but Berber populations became prominent later, benefiting from favorable climatic conditions. Research relied on archaeological analysis of artifacts and rock art to reconstruct historical demographic shifts.

Benbouzid, L. (2018). The Earliest Berbers in the Sahara: In the Central Sahara between 3000 and 1000 BC. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.21762342