- Title: Ancient inscriptions found in Saudi's Hai'l region reveal life of Arab ancestors
- Date: 9th March 2020
- Summary: HAI'L, SAUDI ARABIA (MARCH 07, 2020) (REUTERS) SIGN READING IN (Arabic) AND (English) "ROCK ART IN THE HAIL REGION: JUBBAH SITE, WORLD HERITAGE SITE" VARIOUS OF THAMUDIC EXPERT, MAMDOUH AL-SHAMARI, DRIVING CAR TOWARDS JABAL UMM SINMAN IN JUBBAH AL-SHAMARI TALKING AS HE DRIVES AL-SHAMARI WALKING WITH HIS SON VARIOUS OF AL-SHAMARI EXPLAINING THAMUDIC ROCK INSCRIPTIONS TO HIS SON (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THAMUDIC EXPERT, MAMDOUH AL-SHAMARI, SAYING: "Thamudic inscriptions are stories and tales of the Thamudic people. They (the inscriptions) were thought to lead to treasures and that sort of thing. Because of this and because we realized the importance of these inscriptions, we were keen to learn and decipher them as well as understand their implications and meaning." AL-SHAMARI TEACHING THAMUDIC LETTERS TO HIS SON VARIOUS OF THAMUDIC INSCRIPTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THAMUDIC EXPERT, MAMDOUH AL-SHAMARI, SAYING: "The most famous Thamudic inscriptions (drawings and writings) were done by 'Malha' which left her name on this painting that shows a hunting scene. In this painting, Malha drew a number of camels as well as the Arabic onyx and an ostrich. You can see the bow and arrow in her (Malha's) hands as she hides behind one of the camels to hunt this ostrich here." (SOUNDBITE CONTINUES IN NEXT SHOT OF AL-SHAMARI'S HAND) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THAMUDIC EXPERT, MAMDOUH AL-SHAMARI, SAYING: "And this is the Thamudic Malha and this is the bow and arrow she used to hunt the ostrich." (SOUNDBITE OVER CLIP OF AL-SHAMARI'S HAND) VARIOUS OF THAMUDIC INSCRIPTION (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THAMUDIC EXPERT, MAMDOUH AL-SHAMARI, SAYING: "To preserve the rock inscriptions in Jubbah, I was first to understand, read and explain them to the residents of this area-- I was the first person to research and study these inscriptions inside or outside Saudi Arabia-- all so we can learn the meanings and secrets of these inscriptions." JUBBAH RESIDENT STANDING NEAR INSCRIPTIONS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JUBBAH RESIDENT, EID ALALI, SAYING: "Residents of this area used to think the inscriptions lead to treasures, but then Thamudic expert Mamdouh, one of Jubbah's children, explained to us that it's only a social message that shows friendliness and mutual peace between Thamudic people." VARIOUS OF LION INSCRIPTION AL-SHAMARI POINTING TO INSCRIPTION AND EXPLAINING WHAT IT IS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) THAMUDIC EXPERT, MAMDOUH AL-SHAMARI, SAYING: "The importance of these inscriptions comes from the stories and tales of the Thamudic people that they wrote as they lived on this land, so when tourists and visitors come, they can learn what happened here. Understanding, deciphering and spreading these inscriptions, helps develop tourism and the economy ... and attract tourists and visitors here to learn stories that were written on these rocks thousands of years ago." VARIOUS OF AL-SHAMARI WRITING THAMUDIC LETTERS ON SAND / EXPLAINING THEM
- Embargoed: 23rd March 2020 15:12
- Keywords: Ancient Inscription Ha'il Heritage History Language Saudi Arabia Society
- Location: HA'IL, SAUDI ARABIA
- City: HA'IL, SAUDI ARABIA
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001C4BZJH1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Deep in the northwest deserts of the Saudi Arabian region of Hai'l, ancient inscriptions left behind by the Thamudic people were once believed to lead to treasures.
After having traveled to Egypt to learn Thamudic letters and symbols, Mamdouh al-Shamari says the inscriptions, whether in the form of illustrations or writings, tell stories of how the ancient people lived.
Respect, hunting and love were all topics that made an appearance in the inscriptions of the Thamudic tribes, the ancestors of today's Arabs.
Dubbed as the "biggest and richest rock art complexes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the wider region," the UNESCO added the Rock Art in the Ha'il Region to its World Heritage List in 2015.
"The importance of these inscriptions comes from the stories and tales of the Thamudic people that they wrote as they lived on this land, so when tourists and visitors come, they can learn what happened here," said al-Shamari.
He hopes the site, which consists of inscriptions found in Jabal Umm Sinman at Jubbah and the Jabal al-Manjor and Raat at Shuwaymis, could help boost tourism in the area.
(Production: Nael Shyoukhi, Mohammed Benmansour) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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