An expedition of the Supreme Council of Antiquities working in South Sinai discovered an archaeological site of exceptional historical and artistic value – the Umm Iraqi plateau. About finding speak Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities.
The monument is a natural sandstone shelter that stretches along the eastern side of the plateau for more than 100 meters. The depth of the shelter varies from two to three meters, and the ceiling height gradually decreases from about one and a half to half a meter. The site, about 5 km northeast of the Serabit el-Khadim temple and copper and turquoise mining areas, occupies a strategic vantage point overlooking an open area, suggesting its use over the centuries as a lookout point, gathering place, and resting place.
The ceiling of the stone shelter contains a large number of rock paintings made with red gouache. Among them are images of animals and various symbols that are still being studied. Another group of gray paintings were also discovered and recorded for the first time, alongside a number of inscriptions and scenes created using various methods and techniques.
The head of the Central Antiquities Department of Lower Egypt, Hisham Hussein, who headed the expedition, said that during the inspection of the shelter, a large amount of animal feces was found inside it. Perhaps in later ages it was used as a shelter for people and livestock from rain, storms and hail. In addition, stone partitions were found forming separate living cells, with the remains of a hearth in the middle, which confirms repeated human activity at this place during different periods of time.
Researchers also found several flint tools and many ceramic fragments. According to rough estimates, some of them date back to the Middle Kingdom, the rest date back to the Roman period – 3rd century AD. Apparently, this site has been continuously inhabited for thousands of years.
Stone paintings and inscriptions are often divided into several groups according to chronological order. The oldest painting is painted with red pigment on the ceiling of the shelter. It has a tentative date of between 10,000 and 5500 BC and contains scenes of various animals, depicting the daily life of that ancient time.
There are also paintings made using specialized engraving techniques. They depict a hunter using a bow to hunt a mountain goat accompanied by several hunting dogs. This scene reflects the lifestyle and economic activities of early human societies. Other groups of inscriptions include images of camels and horses in various forms, cavalry holding weapons, and some are accompanied by Nabataean inscriptions. Additionally, Arabic inscriptions were recorded, an indication that the site was used during the early Islamic period and in subsequent periods.
The Umm Iraq complex is one of the most important rock art sites discovered in recent times, said Hisham al-Laysi, secretary general of the Supreme Council of Antiquities. The chronological and technical diversity of the designs make it a natural open-air museum, chronicling the evolution of artistic expression and iconography from prehistoric times to the Islamic period. Al-Leisi assured that the work of research and scientific analysis of the inscriptions and drawings will continue.
The head of the Egyptian Antiquities Department, Mohamed Abdel Badi, added that the discovery was made with the active support of a local resident. This highlights the important role the people of Sinai play in supporting government efforts to preserve cultural heritage.
