Rock Art at Jabal al-Kawkab

The Rock Art at Jabal al-Kawkab is a collection of antiquities located in Jabal al-Kawkab in Najran Province, southwestern the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The site is considered one of the rich archaeological locations in rock art, featuring drawings, writings, and historical inscriptions.

Jabal al-Kawkab in Hima Cultural Area of Najran serves as a record of the journeys of caravans passing through the province, which was a pivotal connection point on the trade route linking the southern Arabian Peninsula with the central and northern parts of the Arabian Peninsula. This explains the high number of camels depicted in the rock art found at Jabal al-Kawkab. The environmental diversity around the mountain contributed to the variety of subjects inscribed on the rocks. The drawings also depict the presence of animals such as oryx, alongside images of snakes, horses, spears, shields, gazelles, ostriches, and ancient warriors.

The drawings at Jabal al-Kawkab document a significant aspect of the social and economic life of the region at the time, reflecting the inhabitant's dedication to acquiring camels and horses and caring for them. These animals are prominently and repeatedly depicted in their artwork, showcasing a sense of pride in including them as central themes in the rock art.

The rock art at Jabal al-Kawkab reveals the diverse skills, culture, and knowledge of ancient inhabitants through a variety of artistic styles and social themes. The drawings also depict predatory animals such as lions at various locations on the rock fronts.

In 2019, the King Abdulaziz Foundation for Research and Archives (Darah) published a book titled "Musnad Inscriptions from the Southern Side of Jabal al-Kawkab in Najran Province", authored by Mohammed Abdulrahman al-Hazmi. The book explores the role of ancient South Arabian inscriptions in documenting the history, politics, society, and religion of ancient Arab kingdoms in the Arabian Peninsula.

It focuses on studying ancient South Arabian inscriptions scripted on the rocks. It highlighted linguistic phenomena that reveal a stage in the evolution of the Arabic language. Divided into three chapters, the first chapter discusses the geographical and historical background of Najran Province and Jabal al-Kawkab. The second chapter delves into the inscriptions, offering a translation, description, and comparative analysis. The final chapter addresses the intellectual and cultural significance of these inscriptions.

The book covers fifty-five rock fronts from around four thousand BCE to 2500 BCE, chosen by the author under scientific requirements as real samples of the remaining art at the mountain, unstudied before 2012, and include human and animal figures and tools used at that time, depicted through engraving, carving, or pecking.

The inscriptions document 213 names of men and tribes and newly discovered names not previously known in ancient Arabic texts. Some words match classical Arabic meanings, and new professions previously unknown from ancient writings also appear.