Jubbah Rock Art

Jubbah lies at the edge of the Nafud where sandstone outcrops rise from the sand, and their faces carry one of the largest and oldest concentrations of rock art in Arabia: human figures with distinctive headgear, cattle, ibex, oryx, horses, camels and inscriptions in Thamudic and later scripts, spanning from around the ninth millennium BC to the historic period. The earliest images date to a wetter phase when a lake stood here and cattle could be kept, which is why the cattle scenes matter to understanding climate change in Arabia. Together with Shuwaymis to the south the site was inscribed as World Heritage in 2015. Panels are reached on marked paths from a visitor point.

Highlights

• Human figures - the large early carvings with headgear and weapons.
• Cattle scenes - the images from the wetter phase of the Nafud.
• Ibex and oryx - the animal carvings across the panels.
• Ancient inscriptions - Thamudic and later texts among the images.

When to go

November to March; summer at the Nafud edge is extremely hot with no shade. Early morning and late afternoon give the raking light that makes the carvings readable. Guides are arranged at the site.

Before you go

Carvings are best seen in low sun and can be almost invisible at midday. The site is exposed with no shade or water. Access requires driving from Hail. Some panels are fenced or off the marked route.

Nearby

Hail lies southeast; the Nafud desert extends north.