What Are the Jubbah Petroglyphs?

Houston Museum of Natural Science CEO Joel A. Bartsch has a passion for international travel and world history. Joel Bartsch is particularly interested in traveling to the Middle East and experiencing the culture.

The Middle East nation Saudi Arabia has been inhabited for tens of thousands of years and has many historical landmarks, including six UNESCO heritage sites. The city of Jubbah is home to one of the oldest rock carvings, also known as petroglyphs, in the world. Some of the images date back to 10,000 BC. The most recent carvings, phrases from an ancient language, were written in 3,000 BC.
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Archeologists believe that Jubbah was once a green oasis with a settled population. The images in the rocks depict scenes from daily life. Visitors can learn how residents in the ancient civilization dressed and the types of animals living in the area. Due to the fragile nature of the petroglyphs, tourists can only visit the Jubbah site with an approved tour.