The petroglyphs and inscriptions illustrate the 12.000 years of human occupation in the Wadi Rum desert. They tell us stories about the history and evolution of human activity in the Arabian Peninsula. With 25,000 petroglyphs and 20,000 inscriptions, mostly Thamudic, the Wadi Rum desert is a truly unique place on earth. It was one of the reasons for UNESCO to put our desert on the World Heritage List.
The petroglyphs are drawings of humans and animals. The illustrations of people show human figures holding bows and arrows. There also are drawing of animals like camels, ibex, and horses. And alongside all these figures are symbols like lines and circles. Experts concluded that they are instructions and messages left by the people for one another. Some of them are about giving directions to find hidden springs. And others are about updating each other on things like who visited the area last. Altogether, these engravings provide an insight into the development of human thought. They show a pattern of pastoral, agricultural, and urban human activity. And they tell us more about the climatic change. From the mildly humid climate to the semi-arid environment we have today.
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