Bir Hima Rock Petroglyphs and Inscriptions

Bir Hima Rock Petroglyphs presents over 550 rock art panels featuring thousands of engravings depicting animals, plants, and human activities spread across multiple locations. The engravings form a connected system of sites within the region.

The rock art developed between 7000 BC and 1000 BC at a crucial junction for trade routes connecting Yemen, Egypt, Greece, Rome, and Mesopotamia. Travelers left their marks across thousands of years at this strategic location.

The site holds writings in multiple ancient languages including Greek, Arabic, Musnad, Aramaic-Nabatean, Thamudic, and South-Arabian, left behind by merchants and travelers passing through. These inscriptions reveal how people communicated and marked their journeys across the region.

The site is located approximately 200 kilometers north of Najran city and was historically sustained by ancient wells providing water for passing caravans. Visitors should prepare for the dry landscape and bring appropriate gear for desert exploration.

The ensemble houses approximately 6,400 illustrations in total, including about 1,800 camel depictions and roughly 1,300 human figures. This concentration of animal imagery makes it one of the largest collections of its kind worldwide.

Location: Najran Province

Address: 6FX2+FM3, Hima 66749, Saudi Arabia

GPS coordinates: 18.24924,44.45184

Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:02