Discovery on the Egyptian Sinai: A rock art site is 10,000 years old
Archaeologists discovered a 10,000-year-old rock art site on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, revealing diverse engravings and paintings that showcase artistic development from prehistory to the Islamic period.
Archaeologists have made a significant discovery on the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt, announcing the finding of a rock art site that dates back up to 10,000 years. The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities revealed this news, highlighting that the site is located at the Umm Iraq plateau and features a 100-meter long rock overhang adorned with a variety of engravings and paintings. These artworks provide insights into the progression of artistic expression from prehistoric times through to the Islamic era, reinforcing the area's historical and cultural significance.
The array of artistic creations at the site, which has been described as a "natural outdoor museum," includes numerous animal images, symbols rendered in red, and inscriptions in both Arabic and Nabataean. According to Hesham El-Leithy, secretary-general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, the chronological diversity of these artistic representations offers a unique opportunity to trace the evolution of human creativity over millennia. The artwork serves not only as a testament to ancient artistic skills but also provides a glimpse into the lifestyle and economic activities of early human communities that once inhabited the region.
In addition to the stunning rock art, remnants of animal dung, fire pits, and worked stones found within the overhang suggest that the location was used over an extended period of time. This combination of artistic and archaeological evidence underscores the importance of the site as a key to understanding the historical context of the area and the cultural developments that occurred among its early inhabitants. The discovery is expected to attract both scholarly interest and tourism to the region, further highlighting the rich heritage of the Sinai Peninsula, a place of vast historical significance in Egypt.