DISCOVER THE ART OF OUR ANCESTORS
01
Camels, Horses and Knights
04 Rock Art at Height
02
The Caravan of Camels
05
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A Layered Portrait of Ancient Arabia
08 Evidence of a Robbery
The Dedication to Dushara
03
An Ancient and Shared Canvas
06
The Gallery of Niches, Carved Offerings to the Gods
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Inspired by Ancient Architecture
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Ancient Weapons and Connections Through Trade
11
The Perilous Journey
DISCOVER THE ART OF OUR ANCESTORS Art has always reflected history. And if you’ve ever wondered what life was like 2,000 years ago, it’s all here at the Rock Art Trail. Whether its romance, religion, survival, adventure, epic journeys or fearsome weaponry - the Rock Art Trail offers endless tales as old as time. These well-preserved petroglyphs give us the opportunity to understand what was important to these desert-dwelling people. Walk in the footsteps of our forebears. See the things they saw in a landscape that was the same then as it is now. This unique tour provides an immersive and engaging insight into life in ancient Arabia.
ALULA
HAVE A LOOK AT THE ROCK ART OF THE
1. DISCOVER WELCOME TO THE ROCK ART TRAIL Carved in stone and preserved as a living history of the Arabian Peninsula, the Rock Art Trail in Hegra is a journey through time. From prehistory, through the periods of the ancient northern Arabian Kingdoms, the Nabataean era and up to earliest Islamic times. The petroglyphs inscriptions bring our shared human history to life in a way that you’ve never experienced.
2. EXPERIENCE THE ROCK ART An intimate encounter with ancient storytellers. Every surface tells a story that provides rich storytelling and meaning bringing you closer to the past. Hear the voices, speaking from the rocks. With a chronology that stretches back thousands of years, these rocks provide a catalogue of images, tablets, tales, and scriptures charting the different periods of AlUla. A mysterious, magical and monumental experience, leaving you richer and wiser.
3.EXPLOPRE A 90-MINUTE HIKE WITH YOUR VERY OWN GUIDE RETRACE THE STEPS OF THOSE WHO LIVED THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE YOU The UNESCO heritage site of Hegra is so much more than the Nabataean tombs. It was a place of passage, where civilisations crossed for thousands of years. Let your guide weave tales of the ancient people’s travels, trade and folklore with more than 10 points of different rock art and inscriptions, each dating from different historical eras.
RETRACE THE STEPS OF THOSE WHO LIVED THOUSANDS OF YEARS BEFORE YOU!
THIS IS THE PERFECT MOMENT FOR A PICTURE! The engravings on the Rock Art Trail have been part of AlUla’s landscape for thousands of years. We want visitors to enjoy this special portal to the past for many generations to come, so we ask our explorers to: • Look, but don’t touch. • Keep this special area as you found it. • Not remove or take anything from the trail. • Put your litter in the bin, or take it with you. • Take lots of pictures to spread the legacy.
LOOK CLOSELY BUT DON’T TOUCH! If just 1% of visitors touched the carvings, they would disappear within 10 years. • Do not pour water on the engravings – this will damage the rock. • Climbing cliffs can cause injury and rock art damage. Please refrain from doing so. • Some rock art is higher than eye level. Do not put yourself, or the art, at risk. • Use your camera zoom or binoculars to see the rock art high from ground level.
CAMELS, HORSES AND KNIGHTS The art and inscriptions on this rock face share stories over 2,000 years old. To your left you’ll see two very uniquelooking camels. Each inscription has a different style which indicates they belong to different time frames and are sculpted by different individuals. One is completely sculpted and the other is more stylised with a semicircular hump.
1. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CAMELS AND PEOPLE HAS EVOLVED THROUGH HISTORY. SEE HOW
About five feet to the right are two groups of camels and horses, some with riders. They are carved in the same style. There are a number of other camels and riders of different shapes, sizes and colours - a further clue that this has been a canvas across time. Some camels are barely visible due to thousands of years of erosion. In this same area, hidden in a rocky cavity, is a curious inscription. It is Dadanitic - a language used in the era of the Dadanite and Lihyanite Kingdoms of the first millennium BCE. Heba Bint Nakhna is mentioned, along with the act of ‘haqana’ - making an offering to the gods.
Watching over AlUla high above the ground are a number of camels. All believed to be from the same time, carved by the same person. Each camel is identical in style, colour and engraving technique, a further indication that the camels were completed by the same artist.
THE CARAVAN OF CAMELS
AN ANCIENT AND SHARED CANVAS With at least four levels of rock art and inscriptions to explore, this rock face is an intriguing tapestry of different styles and techniques. At the top, camels are carved in different styles, with a Thamudic inscription accompanying them on the right. More camels and Thamudic inscriptions grace the next level down, and the middle level shows one group carved through the process of stone pecking. These are thought to be the earliest art on this façade, created over 2,000 years ago. The rock art on the lowest level is a rich mix of camels, goats and human figures. There is also a scene showing an ibex being hunted, and Thamudic inscriptions.
A MASTERPIECE, TWO MILLENNIA OLD
The rock art and inscriptions at the lowest level are the most vulnerable to winds and waterflow, perhaps explaining their eroded condition.
ROCK ART AT HEIGHT These camel engravings and Thamudic inscriptions are more than five meters above the ground… but how did ancient people reach these heights? There is no obvious working platform like a stone ledge, but it is possible that sand dunes once raised the ground to reach the level of the engravings. Ladders and ropes are another possibility, but would have been laborious work when considering the small scale of the carvings - three camels, and a number of Thamudic inscriptions. The three camels are facing south. They all have a semicircular hump, but the one in the middle is thought to be the youngest addition due to its lighter colour and less weathered condition. The faded Thamudic inscriptions were carved using a light scratching method.
IS IT POSSIBLE THAT PEOPLE USED TO BE MORE THAN 5 M TALL? THIS COULD EXPLAIN IT
THE DEDICATION TO DUSHARA Behind the rocks is an intricate sculpture in honour of Dushara, the chief deity worshipped by the Nabataeans. At the top of the carving is an arch, with a smaller one below facing upwards. A carving of an eagle is flanked by two vases, which may symbolize water and life respectively. The two columns beneath the eagle and vases are topped with simple crowns. It is possible that there were other decorative features, worn away by erosion. The columns frame a sculpted rectangle. Inside it, along the base, is a smaller rectangle that may symbolize death and the underworld.
DISCOVER AN ANCIENT DEITY
To the right of this sculpture is a smaller, unfinished niche. Niches were places of worship that imitate the facades of temples and were carved to obtain the protection of the gods, often depicted as simple blocks known as butyls.
6. THE GALLERY OF NICHES With a variety of styles at different levels of completion, this collection is a rich tapestry of worship.
To the left is a large niche resembling some of Hegra’s tomb facades, which may have been carved to seek protection for the owners of those tombs.
CARVED OFFERINGS TO THE GODS
To the right is a niche carved into a hollow square with three columns, with the column in the middle being the longest. The three columns are a common Nabataean feature thought to represent three gods. The middle column is often larger and represents Dushara, the chief god of the Nabataeans. The two other columns may symbolise other Nabataean deities: Allat, Manat, al-Uzza or Baalshamin. • Allat is one of the chief deities of northern Arabia and equated with Athena.
• Manat is the goddess of fate, fortune or time who is often symbolised by the waning moon. • Al-Uzza, known as the ‘strong’ or ‘mighty’ one, is often equated with Venus or Aphrodite. • Baalshamin is a god associated with the skies. Niches may have been carved over the course of several days or weeks, and some possibly revisited after breaks in the carving process. Chisel marks are clearly visible in the space above the columns, giving clues to the types of tools used to achieve their threedimensional effect. This facade also features smaller, carved figures, including camels and ibex. They are difficult to see due to natural erosion by water and wind.
A LAYERED PORTRAIT OF ANCIENT ARABIA
Figures and inscriptions carved on top of one another are a common feature in rock canvas repeatedly used throughout history, preserving memory. The engravings vary in style, colour and technique, indicating they are from different time periods. The rock art features animals such as horses, camels and ibexes. There are also scenes of hunting with dogs, ancient people riding camels and horses, and scenes of combat. There are also inscriptions, in Nabataean and Thamudic. Many of these inscriptions document rituals of pilgrimage and offerings to the gods. There are also niches - installations of dedication and worship - at varying stages of completion.
THE SUCCESSION OF CIVILIZATIONS
EVIDENCE OF A ROBBERY?
Scenes depicting robbers’ attacks on passenger caravans can be frequently found in the rock art. In this example, a human figure can be seen holding the lead of the camel with one hand. With the other hand, he is fighting another human figure, either in attack or defence.
There are numerous camels depicted on this rock surface, of varying sizes and carving techniques including pecking or simple digging. Some are incomplete and some are in miniature. In the middle of the panel camels are only engraved as an outline. On the left of the panel towards the top is a group of three camels similar in size, but their hemispherical humps are different in style. There are many more engraved elements alongside Thamudic, Nabataean, Dadanitic and Aramaic inscriptions some of the ten languages etched into the landscapes of AlUla.
WERE THESE MERCHANTS BEING ROBBED?
INSPIRED BY ANCIENT ARCHITECTURE One of these two niches incorporates the design motifs of Ancient Greece - an influence that can be found throughout Hegra and the Nabataean world. The distinctive design of the niche on the right echoes the tomb facades of Hegra. Set into this relief are two - rather than the typical three - rectangles, thought to represent the Gods. The upper part of this niche is a triangular shape with a double frame inspired by the aesthetics and geometry of Greek architecture, as are the columns on either side and the double frieze. A wide base or pedestal forms the lower part of this niche. This was commonly used as a space to engrave inscriptions, but it appears to be empty.
FROM CIVILIZATIONS BEYOND THE HORIZON
The other niche is carved as a semicircular cavity with three columns. It is engraved over some inscriptions and rock art, suggesting it belongs to a later period. Chisel marks are clearly visible in the space above the columns. Peck marks were sometimes used to highlight the columns through the contrast in texture.
ANCIENT WEAPONS AND CONNECTIONS THROUGH TRADE This facade includes natural cavities formed by wind and rainwater over thousands of years. There are also human figures, weaponry, camels, horses and inscriptions - a window into times of ancient trade and survival. Prominent parts of the rock face carry inscriptions and rock art, of which some have been partially erased or faded due to erosion. On the right, there is a camel with a rider. Next to it is a human figure carrying a weapon. On the top there is a human figure with raised hands - a common posture, with an unknown meaning. Another human figure is holding a weapon, possibly a bow. On the facade, there are also horses with riders. A camel with a high hump and square shape could be carrying goods. Below is a human figure carrying weapons, including a spear and a sword secured around its waist. On the left side there is a group of camels. Some of them have a square hump, again possibly depicting a load being carried. Many of these carvings line ancient trade routes, sometimes spanning thousands of years, reflecting trading and caravan activities. The panel also includes some human figures and geometric shapes that may be simplified copies of the facades of Nabataean tombs.
EXPLORE THE DIFFERENT TRADE CARAVANS OF ANCIENT TIMES
THE PERILOUS JOURNEY
The inhospitable desert was not the only challenge for caravans journeying across Arabia. This rock face records the danger of thieves and bandits. This scene includes several riders on horseback. Other human figures, some of them carrying weapons such as swords and spears, are possibly in combat or poised to defend the caravan and camels loaded with goods against thieves. The square shape of the camel humps may represent camels loaded with cargo. On the top to the left there is a Nabataean inscription - Salman: He is the god of preservation and safety. There is also a Thamudic word, Ra`a, as well as a more recent Islamic inscription saying There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad (PBUH) is the Messenger of Allah.
WERE TRADE TRIPS EASY?
Some of the engravings on this panel have been damaged by human hands, and others are fading due to weathering and erosion.
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