Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia

The rock art in the Hail Region is an archaeological site with two main locations: Om Sinman mountain near Jubbah and al-Manjor and Raat at Al-Shuwaymis. The petroglyphs are spread across 2,000 hectares and display stone-carved images created over thousands of years on natural rock surfaces.

The region holds petroglyphs created about 8,000 years ago using stone hammers to strike rock surfaces, documenting a long history of human settlement. These carvings show how different groups returned to the same locations over centuries, leaving their marks.

The carvings show horses, camels, hunting scenes, and human figures that reflect how early Arabian communities lived and what mattered to them. These images reveal which animals people raised and how they spent their days.

Protective measures include buffer zones and monitoring systems to preserve the delicate petroglyphs at the sites. Guided visits are available to help visitors navigate the archaeological locations safely.

The rock art near Shamli, south of Hail, features especially detailed depictions of Arabian horses and offers insight into early horse domestication. Such carefully crafted images are rarely found at other ancient sites.