Egypt uncovers 10,000 year old rock art site in Sinai
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a previously unknown prehistoric rock art site in southern Sinai that preserves nearly 10,000 years of human artistic expression, the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Thursday. The site, located on the Umm Arak plateau, features hundreds of paintings, engravings and inscriptions spanning from the Neolithic period to the early Islamic era.
The sandstone rock shelter stretches more than 100 meters along the eastern side of the plateau. Its ceiling bears vivid red and gray pigment paintings depicting animals, hunting scenes and symbolic figures. According to the ministry, the oldest images date from roughly 10,000 to 5,500 BC and portray the lives of early hunter gatherers. Among the scenes are hunters pursuing ibex with bows and the use of hunting dogs, offering rare visual evidence of subsistence practices in prehistoric Sinai.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy described the find as a major addition to Egypt’s archaeological record. He said the discovery provides new proof of successive civilizations that settled in this strategically significant part of Egyptian territory over thousands of years.
Hisham El Leithy, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, characterized the plateau as a natural open air museum documenting the development of human artistic and symbolic expression from prehistory through the Islamic period. More recent engravings at the site depict horses, camels and armed figures. Nabataean and early Arabic inscriptions indicate that the shelter remained in use for millennia, reflecting the continuity of human presence in the region.
Archaeological surveys have also uncovered stone tools and pottery fragments at the site. Some artifacts are believed to date to Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, while others are attributed to the Roman period around the third century AD. Animal remains and traces of habitation structures suggest the rock shelter served both as a gathering place and as a refuge for people and livestock across generations.
The plateau lies about five kilometers northeast of the Temple of Serabit El Khadim, near ancient copper and turquoise mining sites. Its elevated position overlooking a broad expanse toward the Tih plateau suggests it may have functioned as a lookout point and rest stop during various historical periods.
The discovery was made following guidance from Sheikh Rabie Barakat, a local Bedouin resident of the Serabit El Khadim area. Mohamed Abdel Badie, head of the Egyptian Antiquities Sector, said the find underscores the important role played by Sinai residents in supporting state efforts to protect cultural heritage.
Researchers said further scientific analysis is underway to refine the dating of the artworks, examine artistic techniques and develop a long term plan for documenting and preserving the site.
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