Ancient camel engravings found in Arabian Desert
Researchers have uncovered massive camel engravings in Saudi Arabia's Nefud Desert, created by ancient artists thousands of years ago. These rock carvings, some up to 13 meters long, predate the domestication of camels and offer new insights into prehistoric life in the region. The discovery was made using satellite imagery and AI analysis.
In the vast expanse of the Nefud Desert in northern Saudi Arabia, a team of archaeologists has revealed a series of enormous rock engravings depicting camels and other animals. The carvings, etched into the sandstone, measure up to 13 meters in length, making them among the largest known petroglyphs of their kind.
The discovery was led by researchers from King Saud University, including Mohammed Abdulaziz Al-Anazi, who used Google Earth satellite images combined with artificial intelligence to identify the sites. Initial surveys on the ground confirmed the engravings, which date back between 7,000 and 8,000 years. This timeline places their creation during the Neolithic period, well before camels were domesticated around 3,000 years ago.
"These engravings provide a window into the daily lives and symbolic practices of ancient peoples who roamed the Arabian Peninsula," Al-Anazi stated in the New Scientist report. The artworks not only show camels but also other fauna like oryx and ibex, suggesting the artists captured the wildlife of a once more verdant landscape before the desertification intensified.
The Nefud Desert, known for its red sands and extreme conditions, has long been a challenging area for archaeological work. Previous findings in the region include smaller petroglyphs, but these giant camel figures stand out for their scale and detail. The researchers believe the engravings may have served ritualistic or territorial purposes, though their exact meaning remains unclear.
This find highlights the growing role of technology in uncovering hidden archaeological treasures. By analyzing vast datasets from space, the team pinpointed over 50 such sites, with potential for more discoveries. The engravings underscore the deep human history in Arabia, a crossroads of ancient migrations and cultural exchanges.