Low friction sliding element for a reciprocating engine

A low friction sliding element for reciprocating engine parts, including a sliding contact surface (1) that is in sliding contact with a counterpart during relative sliding motion of the sliding element and the counterpart. The sliding contact surface (1) has microscopic recesses (2) and plateaus (3) interrupted by the recesses (2). The recesses (2) have depths (Ds, Dm1, Dm2, Dd) regularly varying in a sliding direction (SD) of the sliding element.