"Before this discovery, the first human presence in the region was documented at Neolithic sites from 10,000 years ago, with the peak of activity between 7,600 and 6,800 years ago, the end of the Holocene humid period, when people built large stone hunting traps, ritual structures and carved rock art of animals and stylized human figures. Very little archaeological material has been found on the Arabian peninsula from before the Holocene humid period."
"In 2022, the Sahout rock art site was discovered. Archaeologists documented 18 life-sized engravings of camels, ibex, gazelles, wild equids and aurochs, some more than six feet high, carved on sandstone boulders and outcroppings. Test excavations dug at that time could not link any dated materials to the rock art, however. Three more camel panels were reported to heritage authorities by members of the public in locations just south of the Sahout engravings."
Dozens of monumental rock carvings of animals were found in the Nefud desert and date to about 12,000 years ago, predating previously known occupation by roughly 2,000 years. Earlier evidence placed first human presence at Neolithic sites around 10,000 years ago, with a peak of activity between 7,600 and 6,800 years ago during the Holocene humid period when people built traps, ritual structures and carved rock art. Very little archaeological material exists from before that humid period because the environment was extremely arid and human presence was presumed absent. The Sahout site revealed large life-sized engravings, and additional camel panels were documented on cliffs and boulders, some in nearly inaccessible locations, including a monumental panel requiring climbing and drone documentation.
Read at www.thehistoryblog.com
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