Artistic Heritage from Prehistoric to Islamic Times

Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric rock shelter featuring petroglyphs dating back approximately 10,000 years on the Umm Arak plateau in South Sinai, Egypt's Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on the 12th.

This shelter, naturally formed in sandstone layers, spans over 100 meters in length, with ceilings and walls vividly preserving animals, symbolic motifs, and everyday life scenes painted in red and gray. The oldest drawings are estimated to date from the Neolithic period between 10,000 and 5,500 BCE, while later carvings including hunters with bows and dogs, riders on camels and horses, and early Arabic inscriptions were also discovered.

Sherif Fathy, Egypt's Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, stated, "This discovery demonstrates the unique cultural and anthropological richness of the Sinai Peninsula and provides new evidence that diverse civilizations flourished in this region over thousands of years."

Evidence of Millennia of Continuous Human Habitation

Archaeologists also excavated animal remains and traces of residential structures at this site. This suggests that the Umm Arak shelter served not merely as an artistic space but as a gathering place for humans and livestock over thousands of years.

Stone tools and pottery fragments ranging from Egypt's Middle Kingdom period through the Roman era to the medieval period were unearthed at the site. This proves that this location was a 'living site' continuously utilized from prehistoric times through the early Islamic period.

The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities emphasized in a statement, "Given the diversity of the findings, Umm Arak is a naturally preserved open museum that records humanity's artistic and symbolic development from prehistoric times to the early Islamic era."

Opportunity to Reexamine Sinai Peninsula's Civilizational History

This discovery is being recognized as a significant archaeological achievement demonstrating that the Sinai Peninsula was not merely a geographical corridor but a center of independent cultural development. The traces of continuous human activity spanning 10,000 years support the notion that this region was a strategic hub for civilizational exchange connecting Africa and Asia.

Moving forward, the Egyptian government plans to conduct systematic excavation and preservation work at the Umm Arak site and also utilize it for tourism resource development in the Sinai region.