Rock on art: petroglyph sites in the United Arab Emirates

Abstract

This paper presents an up‐to‐date inventory of the known rock art/petroglyph sites in the United Arab Emirates. Descriptions of the forty‐two rock art sites, material finds, manufacturing techniques, and motifs present on the petroglyphs are outlined in Table 1. Evidence concerning chronological indicators and theories relating to the interpretation of particular motifs are also discussed. Inventory of rock art sites within the U.A.E. (8). Site: GPS: (Datum WGS 84): No. rec.: Location: Sites/finds: Technique/s (9): Motifs (gen): Site 1: Wadi al‐Hayl (10). (Fujairah)N 25° 5′ 5.5′′ E 56° 13′ 35.0′′111Wadi al‐Hayl is located in the southern mountains of Fujairah Emirate. The petroglyphs are located on isolated boulders and large rocks. These are dispersed throughout the wād? system on terraces, slopes, and tributary ‘awdia. Various examples are found throughout the Islamic cemetery and settlement remains. Bayt Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamdan al‐Sharqi, established during the early 1930s (11). Associated Kunud tribe village, established prior to the 1930s (12). Earlier settlements of Islamic period date. Hillfort, C14 date: AD 1470–1705 (13). Located nearby Petroglyphs 102, 108 and 109, are three, circular‐shaped, rock built burials. These are comparable to examples recorded in Wadi Saqamqam (14). Fragment of an Iron Age period soft stone lid (15). Ceramics of the 2nd and 1st millennia BC (16). A pre‐Islamic, circular‐shaped grave (diam, ca 5 m) (Fig. 3), with associated Umm an/al Nar period ceramic sherds (Fig. 4).Percussion: outline; in‐filled. Friction: scratched. There are also some instances of overlapping, that is, superimposition.Zoomorphs (camel, horse {and rider}, snake, leopard (Figs. 5 & 6), ibex?, various). Anthropomorphs (rider {and horse}, various) (Fig. 7). Geometric (ovoid {foot}, cruciform, various) (17). The anthropomorph in P93, panel 1 (Fig. 8), is comparable to an example from Site 6 Awhala P1 (Fig. 9). Both have comparable dress, figures and mannerisms. The anthropomorph in P103 (Fig. 10) from within the Islamic cemetery is comparable with two examples from sites in the Sultanate of Oman (18).Site 2: Wadi Saham (19) (Fujairah)N 25° 6′ 39′′ E 56° 12′ 27.6′′27Located in the southern mountains of Fujairah Emirate. The petroglyphs are located on boulders and large rocks. Three closely related areas of rock art located on terraces, either side of the dirt track through the wād?.Undated circular‐shaped tombs and settlement remains of the Islamic period (20).Percussion: outline; in‐filled. Friction: scratched. Petroglyph 1, panel 1 shows signs of superimposition (Fig. 11).Zoomorphs (horse {and rider}, camel, snake). Anthropomorphs (rider {and horse}, various). Geometric (ovoid {foot}, cruciform, capital T, various). Capital T motifs from Wadi Saham (P1, panels 1 & 2) (Fig. 11) are also present at Site 11, Wadi Ashwani (B), (P4); Site 18, Lulyyah (P1 & P2) (Fig. 12); and Site 35, Wadi il‐Hilu, (P2). Comparable examples from sites in Oman are illustrated in Jäckli (21).Site 3: Bidyah Mosque (22) (Fujairah)...

Rock art landscapes beside the Jubbah palaeolake, Saudi Arabia

“…1 Anati 1968aAnati & b, 1972Anati , 1974Livingstone & Khan 1985;Khan 1993Khan , 1998Khan , 2000Khan , 2007Nayeem 2000;Aldowsari 2009; Al Talhi 2012 (Saudi Arabia); Garcia et al 1991;Garcia & Rachad 1997;Crassard 2006;Braemer et al 2007;Inizan & Rachad 2007 (Yemen) ;Clark 1975;Preston 1976;Insall 1999 (Oman); Ziolkowski 2007;Lancaster & Lancaster 2011 (United Arab Emirates); and Nayeem 1998;Hassiba et al 2012 (Qatar). Figure 2.…”

Dot‐in‐circle: An ethnoarchaeological approach to soft‐stone vessel decoration

“…Sites in the Emirates include Wadi Ashwani, Wadi ah‐Shanah (Fig. 14), Wadi il‐Hilu, and Wadi Daftah (30). The dot‐in‐circle motif represents a decorative device, which has been utilised extensively in southeastern Arabia over an extensive period of time.…”

Rock Art Recording in Khatm Al Melaha (United Arab Emirates): Multirange Data Scanning and Web Mapping Technologies

“…Even though there are some studies relating to rock-art in Arabia (Anati, 1968a(Anati, , 1968b(Anati, , 1968c(Anati, , 1972(Anati, , 1974Bednarik andKhan, 2005, 2017;Khan, 2007Khan, , 2013Newton and Zarins, 2000), those located in the United Arab Emirates are less numerous (Ziolkowski, 1998(Ziolkowski, , 2007Ziolkowski and Hassan, 2000). Despite being in its preliminary stage, this project has an inductive approach that goes from the particular to the general, classifying the rock-art motifs according to a distinctive classification in order to compare it to those from other areas.…”

“…Apart from those artefacts, a large shell midden was found at the foot of the hill facing East, and some circular structures (in varying conditions) mainly along the Eastern side of the slope but also at the top of the elevation and on the western side. Even though they haven't yet been defined as funeral graves, some other nearby rock art areas have, as it is the case of Fujairah (Ziolkowski, 1998(Ziolkowski, , 2007Ziolkowski and Hassan, 2000). Despite being in its preliminary phase, the project has so far seen the following achievements:…”