CAIRO: Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities said it has documented a previously unknown rock art site in South Sinai featuring a natural sandstone rock shelter that preserves paintings, carvings and inscriptions spanning thousands of years. The ministry said the site, known as the Umm Irak Plateau, contains layered imagery that begins with prehistoric drawings dated in a preliminary study to between 10,000 and 5,500 BCE, and continues through later historical periods.
The ministry said an Egyptian archaeological mission from the Supreme Council of Antiquities identified the site during survey and documentation work in South Sinai. The plateau lies in a sandy area about 5 kilometers northeast of the Temple of Serabit el-Khadim and nearby ancient copper and turquoise mining zones, according to the ministry. It said the discovery was supported by guidance from Sheikh Rabia Barakat, a resident of the Serabit el-Khadim area.
Officials described the main feature as a naturally formed rock shelter on the eastern side of the plateau extending more than 100 meters. The ministry said the shelter ranges about 2 to 3 meters in depth, while its ceiling height gradually decreases from roughly 1.5 meters to about 0.5 meters. Its ceiling and walls carry a large number of rock drawings and engravings executed in different techniques and materials.
The ministry said the oldest identified group is painted in red on the shelter ceiling and is dated preliminarily to between 10,000 and 5,500 BCE. It said these early images include animals and a range of symbols that remain under study. A second set of drawings in grey pigment was also documented, and the ministry said this group has been recorded for the first time at the site. Officials said the range of styles and subjects reflects a long sequence of activity on the plateau.
A shelter that spans eras
Beyond the painted layers, the ministry said the site includes engraved scenes carved into the rock. One panel shows a hunter using a bow while pursuing an ibex, accompanied by hunting dogs, according to the ministry. Other groups include depictions of camels and horses in multiple forms, with riders shown carrying weapons, it said. Hisham El-Leithy, secretary-general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, called the plateau a “natural open-air museum” that records human artistic and symbolic expression from prehistory to Islamic periods.
The ministry said some of the later scenes are accompanied by Nabataean writings, and it also documented inscriptions in Arabic. Officials said the inscriptions add chronological depth to the imagery and support the view that the shelter remained known and used across successive eras. The ministry said the combination of prehistoric paintings, later engravings and written inscriptions makes the Umm Irak Plateau one of the most significant rock art sites recently recorded in the region.
Hisham Hussein, who led the mission, said the documentation work inside the shelter found large quantities of animal droppings, which he said indicates the shelter was used in later periods by people and livestock for protection from rain, storms and cold. He said the team also recorded stone partitions that formed separate living units, along with the remains of burn layers at their center, indicating repeated activity at the site over extended periods.
Tools and pottery found nearby
The ministry said field survey work also recovered flint tools and numerous pottery fragments. It said some of the pottery is dated to Egypt’s Middle Kingdom, while other fragments are dated to the Roman era, including material attributed to the 3rd century AD. Officials said these finds, together with the inscriptions and rock art, show the shelter was revisited and reused across many centuries as a recognizable place in the South Sinai landscape.
Tourism and Antiquities Minister Sherif Fathy described the discovery as an important addition to Egypt’s archaeological map and said it highlights Sinai’s cultural and human heritage. The ministry said scientific study and documentation of the drawings, engravings and inscriptions are continuing as part of efforts to record the site to international standards, and officials said they are preparing a comprehensive approach to protect and sustainably document the Umm Irak Plateau rock shelter and its rock art. – By Content Syndication Services.