A Saudi Commission for Tourism and Antiquities request to register rock drawings at the two historic sites of Jabbah and Al-Shuwaimis in Hail on UNESCO’s list of international heritage has obtained royal consent, SCTA Chairman Prince Sultan bin Salman announced yesterday.
He expressed thanks and appreciation to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and said the royal consent demonstrates the continuous support the government was giving to the Kingdom’s national heritage.
He said through collaboration with a team of experts from the International Heritage Center, the commission will prepare a file on the two historic sites for presentation to the International Heritage Committee in 2014.
Prince Sultan said due to the continued endeavors of the center to identify more locations of rock drawings, opportunities look ripe to register the two Saudi sites.
He said: “The opportunity to register the locations with UNESCO looks bright, especially after the completion of the rehabilitation of the Jabba site and the establishment of a center for visitors at the Al-Shuwaimis site.”
Prince Sultan explained that SCTA’s efforts to register Saudi historic sites on the International Heritage List had the target of preserving the Kingdom’s rich and diversified history.
The commission registered the Madain Saleh site with UNESCO in 2008 and the Al-Diriyah historic site in 2010.
He added: “We are now making efforts to register the historic Jeddah site.”
Jabbah is based in the Hail Nafud desert. It has many drawing and engravings on its rocks.
The Shuwaimis is about 270 km southwest of Hail. Its prehistoric drawings include pictures of men and various kinds of animals.
King OKs registration of two heritage sites
