Bir Hima Rock Petroglyphs and Inscriptions

Coordinates: 18°14′55″N 44°27′06″E / 18.24861°N 44.45167°E / 18.24861; 44.45167
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
See also:
List of World Heritage sites in Saudi Arabia
Bir Hima Rock Petroglyphs and Inscriptions
Petroglyph at Bir Hima in Saudi Arabia
Bir Hima Rock Petroglyphs and Inscriptions is located in Saudi Arabia
Bir Hima Rock Petroglyphs and Inscriptions
Shown within Saudi Arabia
LocationNajran, Najran Province, Saudi Arabia
Coordinates18°14′55″N 44°27′06″E / 18.24861°N 44.45167°E / 18.24861; 44.45167
Site notes
OwnershipDepartment of Antiquities, Saudi Arabia
Official nameḤimā Cultural Area
TypeCultural
Criteria(iii)
Designated2021 (44th session)
Reference no.1619

Bir Hima (

Palaeolithic and Neolithic site, the Bir Hima Complex covers the time period of 7000–1000 BC.[3] Bir Hima contains numerous troughs whose type is similar from North Arabia to Yemen.[4]

It was designated as part of the Hima Cultural Area UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2021.[5]

History

Ancient history of human occupation of this habitat is credited to its resources of wild life, water and the limestone terrain.

Jubba and other sites were investigated. One of the expedition members investigating this art form found a site west of the ancient wells of Bir Hima where he recorded 250 images.[7]

Findings

Bir Hima, which is an ancient Palaeolithic and Neolithic site, lies north of Najran, categorized as a

Lower Palaeolithic or Oldowan site. Apart from petroglyphs, carving tools used for this art work (in the form of chopper or pebble tools) were also found here, made of such materials as quartzite, andesite and flint.[8] The images appear to have been inscribed with Bronze. The petroglyphs noted, when initially found in the 1950s, consisted of daggers and swords, bows with arrows tipped with transverse arrowheads, sickle swords and throw-sticks. These depictions were interpreted as symbolic of spiritual animism.[2]

Bir Hima, as part of Najran, is a treasure trove of petroglyphs, eclipsed only by those found in the Jubba region. Here, 100 sites have been identified. In the Najran area, as many as 6,400 human and animal illustrations, which include more than 1,800 camels and 1,300 human depictions, have been recorded.

Himyarite King who occupied Najran, are also recorded.[9] A number of articulated camel fragments were excavated at site 217-44.[10] While its engravings are probably much earlier than those of Hunters Palette, the Bir Hima warrior, armed with bow, is almost identical to the men on the Hunters Palette.[11] Thousands of inscriptions have also been found, in various scripts including the al-musmad alphabet, Aramaic-Nabatean, South Arabian, Greek and Islamic.[12]

Gallery

  • Inscription of The Dancers
    Inscription of The Dancers
  • Hima Cultural Area Overview
    Hima Cultural Area Overview
  • Inscriptions of Al-Mauaqea mountain
    Inscriptions of Al-Mauaqea mountain
  • Inscriptions of Minshaf
    Inscriptions of Minshaf
  • Inscription of Shasaa
    Inscription of Shasaa
  • Inscriptions of Hima mountain
    Inscriptions of Hima mountain

References

  1. ^ Harrigan, Peter; Bjurström, Lars (February 2002). "Art Rocks in Saudi Arabia". saudiaramcoworld.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  2. ^ a b c "Ring of Naharit". Thye Archaeology Fund. Archived from the original on 12 June 2003. Retrieved 18 April 2011.
  3. ^ "Bir Hima rock petroglyphs in Saudi Arabia's Najran include image of camel". Al Arabiya. 19 April 2021.
  4. ISBN 978-0-306-46262-7
    . Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  5. ^ "Hima Cultural Area in Saudi Arabia inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage Site list". Xinhua News Agency. 24 July 2021. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  6. ISBN 978-81-85492-09-4
    . Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  7. ^ "Art rocks in Saudi Arabia". Saudiarmaco world. Archived from the original on 27 August 2004. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  8. ^ a b "Introduction to Saudi Arabia Rock Art and Petroglyphs" (PDF). Ancient cultures.info. pp. 30–37. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  9. ^ "An Archeaological Study Tour of The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". Archaeological Tours. Archived from the original on 17 September 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  10. ISBN 978-0-04-445900-2
    . Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  11. ISBN 978-1-84511-116-8
    . Retrieved 17 April 2011.
  12. ^ Robert G. Bednarik, SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATIONS INTO SAUDI ARABIAN ROCK ART: A REVIEW, Mediterranean Archaeology and Archaeometry, Vol. 17, No 4, (2017), pp. 43-59 (p.49)
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