What is the Jubbah rock art site?

Jubbah is a UNESCO World Heritage Site approximately 100 kilometres north of Ha'il city in northern Saudi Arabia. The site contains some of the oldest petroglyphs in the Arabian Peninsula — ancient rock carvings on a sandstone outcrop that was once the shore of an ancient lake. The carvings date from the Neolithic period (approximately 8,000–10,000 years ago) through the Islamic period.

What do the Jubbah petroglyphs show?

The carvings depict humans in various poses (hunters, warriors, dancers), animals (ibex, gazelles, ostriches, lions, dogs, horses, and camels), weapons, and abstract geometric designs. The earliest carvings show animals that are now extinct from the region — evidence that the climate of northern Arabia was dramatically wetter and more fertile 8,000–10,000 years ago.

Is Jubbah combined with Shuwaymis for the UNESCO listing?

Yes. The UNESCO World Heritage listing covers two sites — Jubbah and Shuwaymis (further southwest near Medina). Jubbah and Shuwaymis in the Ha'il region are inscribed as Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia.

How do I get to Jubbah from Ha'il?

Jubbah is approximately 100 kilometres north of Ha'il city on the road toward the Saudi-Jordan highway. The journey takes about 1.5 hours by car. The site requires a car — there is no public transport. A local guide is strongly recommended as the carvings are distributed across a rocky outcrop and can be difficult to identify without local knowledge.

Jubbah Rock Art: 10,000 Years of Petroglyphs in Ha'il

Jubbah is one of the most significant prehistoric sites in the Arabian Peninsula — a sandstone outcrop rising from the northern Saudi desert that was once the shore of an ancient lake and has served as a canvas for human expression for approximately 10,000 years.

The site holds thousands of petroglyphs — images carved into the rock surface — depicting a world that has disappeared: large animals that no longer exist in Arabia, human societies organised around hunting and herding in a landscape that was then grassland and lake shore rather than desert.

The Ancient Lake of Jubbah

Understanding Jubbah requires understanding the Holocene climate of Arabia. Between approximately 11,000 and 5,000 years ago, the Arabian Peninsula was significantly wetter than today — a period scientists call the African Humid Period or the “Green Arabia” phase. Where northern Saudi Arabia is now hyper-arid desert, there were lakes, grasslands, and rivers. The rocky outcrop at Jubbah stood at the edge of a substantial lake.

People camped at this lake shore for millennia, and they carved images into the rock face of the outcrop. Some carvings depict animals that required this wetter environment — hippopotami appear in ancient Hijazi rock art from this period, though not at Jubbah itself. The Jubbah carvings include species that are now extinct in Arabia, including the Arabian oryx (which survived until the 20th century), lions (extinct in Arabia for centuries), and wild asses.

What the Carvings Show

The Jubbah petroglyphs have been catalogued over several decades of archaeological investigation. The range of subjects spans thousands of years of human activity:

Prehistoric period (approximately 8,000–5,000 years ago): Hunting scenes with humans and large game animals. Depictions of aurochs (wild cattle), ibex, gazelles, and ostriches. Some of the human figures carry bows and arrows.

Pastoral period: As the climate dried and hunting gave way to herding, the carvings show domesticated animals — particularly camels and horses — reflecting the transition to pastoralism.

Later periods: Thamudic, Lihyanite, and Arabic inscriptions appear alongside and sometimes overlapping the earlier carvings, indicating continuous use of the site through the historical period.

Visiting Jubbah

Jubbah is accessible from Ha’il city — approximately 100 kilometres north, a 1.5-hour drive. The route is paved. A car is essential; there is no public transport.

The site is managed by the Saudi Heritage Commission. Entry requires registration at the site office. A local guide is strongly recommended — the petroglyphs are distributed across a rocky outcrop and can be difficult to identify without knowledge of where the densest concentrations are.

The best light for photography is early morning or late afternoon, when low-angle light emphasises the carved lines against the shadow. Midday light washes out the carvings entirely.

What to bring: Water (the site has no facilities), sun protection, comfortable walking shoes for rocky terrain, and a camera with good low-light capability for detailed carving documentation.

The Shuwaymis Site

The UNESCO listing includes Shuwaymis — a second major rock art concentration in the Hail region, approximately 200 kilometres southwest of Ha’il near the ancient pilgrimage route between Iraq and Mecca. Shuwaymis contains equally ancient carvings in a different landscape. For serious rock art enthusiasts, visiting both is worthwhile. Plan a dedicated 2-day itinerary from Ha’il.

Book tours of Jubbah and the Ha’il heritage sites through our Ha’il page.