A recent study of a rock shelter with considerable rock art, found in the central Sinai Peninsula of Egypt has been released. Al-Zolma rock shelter is decorated with a profusion of petroglyphs, including anthropomorphs of considerable interest.
“The study of the twelve panels identified 366 individual petroglyphs, including 146 animal figures, 112 human figures, 16 unknown scratches, and 92 indeterminate forms. These petroglyphs encompass several types of images, such as Bovids, Equids, Antelopes, Camels, Gazelles, Ostriches, Ibex, Felines (Lions and Leopards), and headless women. Most of Al-Zolma Rockshelter’s engravings are depicted in a naturalistic style, with variations in quality and size among subjects.” (Hussein 2025)The variations in quality and size suggest that the images were created by different people across an unknown span of time.
“The execution style techniques appear to have evolved over time. Some engravings were done by incision, where the outline of the subjects is made with shallower grooves. Others exhibit a more developed technique, appearing as raised relief.” (Hussein 2025) The reported differences in technique seem to rely on how deeply the outlines and details of the figures are carved, although some are essentially carved deep enough to qualify as relief carvings.
A particular surprise at this site was a series of headless female figures. “One of the prominent petroglyph examples from Al-Zolma Rockshelter is the depiction of headless women, totaling 112 figures, each displaying different styles and engraving techniques. These figures typically represent the torso of a female figure de picted in profile, featuring prominent breasts and buttocks, yet lacking both the head and lower limbs in several instances.” (Hussein 2025)
“Interestingly, the majority of these figures face left, with only three facing right. They vary in height from 10.87 cm to 32.65 cm, and are often superimposed by images of bovids, antelope, camels, and equids. The execution techniques range from scratches and incised lines to what appears to be raised relief. Similar examples of headless women have been found at other sites in Egypt, such as Qurta (QI-QII) and el-Hosh ATB11. Moreover, the significance of these ‘Headless Women’ figures extends beyond Al-Zolma Rockshelter, and other Egyptian sites bearing resemblance to depictions found across the European Magdalenian world, both in rock art and as statuettes made of various types of stone.” (Hussein 2025) The reference to headless women ‘found across the European Magdalenian world’ refers to claviforms and/or the so-called ‘Venus’ figures of the European Paleolithic. These were small figurines carved from stone or from mammoth ivory.
So, were the artists of Al-Zolma rock shelter influenced by European claviforms, ‘Venus’ figures, or something else? In other words. is this evidence of cultural contact between the Sinai and Paleolithic Europe? Another possible interpretation might be considered. The females of Khoisan and related tribes of Africa often display steatopygia, a condition where extensive fat deposits accumulate on the buttocks and thighs. It can be found randomly pretty much worldwide, but is more common among the ‘Hottentots’, the pre-colonial inhabitants of much of southern Africa. Of course, it is possible that the European ‘Venus’ figures are also meant to depict steatopygia, but that is not the general assumption for their meaning.
No direct
dating has been done on the art in Al-Zolma Cave. “Dating the Al-Zolma engravings remains a challenge, but stylistic
similarities to established Late Paleolithic sites in Egypt suggest a potential
age. Further research, including radiocarbon dating and OSL dating in
association with the engravings and a deeper understanding of the surrounding
environment and potential archaeological sites in Wadi Al-Zolma, could offer
valuable context for interpreting the rock art and provide more precise
chronological information.” (Hussein 2025:24)
“”The more I looked at the engravings,” says Hussein,” the more I thought the artworks resembled those you might find in Lascaux Cave or other famous European Paleolithic sites.” Hussein learned that an engraved depiction of an aurochs very similar to the one in Al-Zolma Cave had been made in southern Egypt around 15,000 years ago.’” (Powell 2026) This coincidence helped confirm the age of the Al-Zolma art in his mind leading to the announced Paleolithic age for these petroglyphs.
The authors of the study have concluded that this rock art is potentially Paleolithic in age based upon stylistic similarity to other sites in the Sinai peninsula that have been dated. “The engravings in Al-Zolma Rock shelter executed in a naturalistic style, similar in appearance to the rock assemblages found at other sites in Upper Egypt, such as Wadi (Chor) Abu Subeira (Wadi (Chor) Abu Subeira, an Eastern Desert Wadi, located 12 km north of Aswan): CAS-1320 and CAS-6,21 as well as to those of Qurta (QI, QII, and QIII),22 and Abu Tanqura Bahari 11 (ATB11) at el-Hosh, both north of Kom Ombo. Studies conducted at these sites have successfully dated rock art to the late Paleolithic period, approximately 16,000-15,000 BP. This provides a strong possibility for attributing the engravings in Al-Zolma Rockshelter to the late Paleolithic period.” (Hussein 2025) So, were these female figures inspired by Paleolithic European claviforms or ‘Venus’ figures, or by steatopygia? Can we ever know? It is, however, certainly a wonderful surprise and a really fun idea to speculate on.
NOTE: Some images in this column were retrieved from the internet with a search for public domain photographs. If any of these images are not intended to be public domain, I apologize, and will happily provide the picture credits if the owner will contact me with them. For further information on these reports you should read the original reports at the sites listed below. Additionally, some of the quotations I have included have had citations removed from their text. These can also be acquired from the original texts.
REFERENCES:
Hussain, Hesham, 2025, The Rock Inscriptions Documentation Project: Al-Zolma/Al-Dalma Rockshelter in the north-central part of the Sinai Peninsula: A Preliminary Report, Abgadiyat, Volume 20, No. 1, pp. 49-63. Published in Academia online.
Powell, Eric A., 2026, Light in the Cave, Archaeology Magazine, July/August 2026, Volume
79, Number 4, page 19.
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