High-resolution geospatial surveying techniques provide new insights into rock-art landscapes at Shuwaymis, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Many parts of the Arabian Peninsula contain rock art that has received minimal archaeological attention or has not yet been thoroughly surveyed. In 2001 an extensive rock-art complex called Shuwaymis, Ha'il Province, Saudi Arabia was brought to the attention of the Saudi General Commission for Tourism and Antiquities. This paper sets out the results of the first high-resolution geospatial mapping and recording of rock art at this remote site. The research saw the innovative use of a differential GPS to record rock-art panels to within 5 mm of accuracy at the site of Shuwaymis-2, the first time that such technology has been used to record rock art in the Arabian Peninsula. With such technology it was possible to show which of eighty-three late prehistoric rock-art panels surveyed were in their original position and which had fallen, and to demonstrate that there was spatial homogeneity of rock-art styles and composition across the site. The mapping recorded multiple panels of cattle, ibex, equid, large cat and other animals. The depictions of lions and cattle in particular indicate that the rock art must have been engraved no later than the early Holocene humid phase (c.10-6 ka BP).

Prehistory and palaeoenvironments of the western Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia

“…migration of Levantine pastoralists vs. indigenous development with the Peninsula -Neolithic findings are highly significant. No Neolithic sites had formerly been reported from the western Nefud itself, although prehistoric rock art is known from areas surrounding, and further south of, the dune field (Jennings et al, 2014;Engel et al, 2011). In the south-eastern Nefud however, an important site exhibiting possible Levantine Pre-Pottery Neolithic affiliations lies in proximity to a Holocene palaeolake at Jubbah (Crassard et al, 2013b) along with rock art ranging from the early Holocene through to recent periods (Jennings et al, 2013).…”

Remote sensing and GIS techniques for reconstructing Arabian palaeohydrology and identifying archaeological sites

“…Petraglia et al, 2012;Crassard et al, 2013a;Jennings et al, 2014) have included results based on this drainage mapping method and initial aspects of our palaeolake mapping method. This paper focusses directly upon these methods and provides a complete, revised and substantially automated version of our palaeolake mapping method which is quicker to apply over large areas and enhances removal of false positives through application of geomorphological rules.…”

“…During the Holocene, Neolithic rock art across the region (e.g. Jennings et al, 2014) testifies to the presence of humans during wet phases. Furthermore, fluvial ponding locations along mapped drainage appear to have been of significance during the Neolithic and potentially Iron Age periods, forming focal points for structural and funerary activity within the region (Fig.…”

Rock art provides new evidence on the biogeography of kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis), wild dromedary, aurochs (Bos primigenius) and African wild ass (Equus africanus) in the early and middle Holocene of north‐western Arabia

“…Rock art data were collected between 2011 and 2016 in four survey seasons in Jubbah and one in Shuwaymis (survey results and methodologies are reported in Guagnin et al., , ; Guagnin, Shipton, al‐Rashid, et al., ; Jennings et al., , ). Specifically, the eastern escarpment at Shuwaymis, and 13 rocky hills (jebels) in the Jubbah oasis were systematically surveyed for rock art and associated archaeological sites (Figure ).…”

“…Rock art data were collected between 2011 and 2016 in four survey seasons in Jubbah and one in Shuwaymis (survey results and methodologies are reported inGuagnin et al, 2015Guagnin et al, , 2016Guagnin, Shipton, al-Rashid, et al, 2017;Jennings et al, 2013Jennings et al, , 2014.…”