> Located in the Sahara Desert, what do the world's largest known petroglyphs(rock carvings) show?And the answer: Giraffes.Photo credit: BradshawFoundation.comBelieved to be between 6,000 and 8,000 yearsold, the two life-size giraffe petroglyphs, known as the Dabous giraffes, arethe largest known rock carvings in the world. More than 820 other images ofanimals and ancient humans have been found engraved on rocks in the area.Among the hundreds of carved wild animals, humans and other carvings at thisSahara site, the incredible detail of the giraffes stands alone in its beauty.These ancient giraffes were carved using multiple techniques, including shapingof the rock itself. Considering the technology of 6,000 years ago, that's quitea feat. What's more: the giraffes are massive. The two are believed to portray a maleand female, and the larger of the two is between 18-21 feet tall. Thisimpressive fact makes the giraffe petroglyphs the largest known rock carvings inthe world. Why giraffes, you might wonder? The answer may be one, unfortunately, lost totime. Some archaeologists suspect that the giraffes were revered by thePaleolithic society for their size and unhurried magnificence. Or, perhaps, itwas the large eyes of the giraffe that called to mind a metaphor for foresightand prediction.In an attempt to preserve the native landscape of the carvings and magnify theirbrilliance, the Bradshaw Foundation has recently embarked on a preservationproject of the carvings. The project intends to take two molds in aluminumcasts, one of which will be gifted to the local town of Agadez and the other tothe National Geographic headquarters in Washington, D.C. Learn more about these breathtaking petroglyphs here[https://africanrockart.britishmuseum.org/country/niger/dabous/].