Rock art site in Saudi region of Najran dates back to the second century BC
Published 01 Oct,2020 via Asharq Alawsat (English Edition) - A drawing engraved on a rock depicting a hunter is one of the landmarks of Hima Well, an archaeological site in Najran, southern Saudi Arabia, which holds beautiful artwork of great historical value.
This engraving, which dates back to the second century BC, is located at the site of Najd Khayran and was engraved on the mountain’s peak, approximately 80 meters above sea level. It overlooks to the west and is close to other sites.
According to a press release from the Saudi Ministry of Tourism, the rock depicts a man chasing and hunting reindeers and protecting his camels. It is believed that a traveler engraved it, as Hima was a meeting point for commercial caravans.
The Hima Well site is considered one of the most eminent rock art and inscriptions sites north of Najran. It includes human and animal drawings as well as inscriptions in Thamudic as well as Kufic scripts.
The region also contains sites dating back to various civilizations, remnants of cemeteries, and stone circles. Many inscriptions have been found in the area, including different types of rock inscriptions made between the seventh century BC and the fifth century AD.
The rock drawings in Hima are the first human attempts to write with the alphabet. The people of southern Arabia were able to develop an alphabet at the beginning of the first millennium BC, known as the Southern Musnad script.
Trade led to the spread of this script. The travelers of the epoch recorded their memories, drawings, names, and some of their interests in the two scripts, Sabai and Thamudi, during their journey, next to the water fountains and caves, and in the foothills of the mountains in Hima Well.
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