Archaeologists have discovered rock art dating back nearly 12,000 years in the Nefud Desert of northern Saudi Arabia.

Engraved onto the sheer rock faces of one of the world's most arid regions, these carvings hint at a lost prehistoric human civilization.

The findings of this research have been published in the journal Nature Communications.

Researchers revealed that engravings were found on more than 60 rock faces across three regions—Jebel Arnan, Jebel Maleeha, and Jebel Misma—located at the southern edge of the Nefud Desert.

Some rocks feature multiple carvings together, with a total of 176 ancient images identified. Using drone technology, researchers captured images of the carvings situated on the upper slopes.

The rock art depicts attempts to carve figures of camels, equines (horse-like animals), and human forms.

Previously, Neolithic rock art dating back about 8,000 years had been found in this desert. However, the newly discovered carvings are significantly older.

According to researchers, they date back between 11,400 and 12,800 years and were engraved over various phases.

According to scientists, global temperatures dropped dramatically between 19,000 and 26,000 years ago.

Until now, no skeletal remains or archaeological evidence of human existence had been found in the Nefud Desert from that ice age, leading historians to consider this long stretch a "dark period" in history.

The newly discovered rock art fills this 15,000-year void, presenting irrefutable evidence of human presence.

The archaeological expedition, named the "Green Arabia Project," was led by the Heritage Commission of the Saudi Ministry of Culture.

This international research team included experts from prestigious institutions, including Germany's Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), and University College London (UCL).

Researchers speculate that primitive humans chose these steep rock faces to serve as landmarks or route markers while migrating from one place to another.

Due to climate shifts 12,000 years ago, oases or water bodies had formed in certain parts of the desert.

The nomadic people likely engraved these images on the sheer cliffs to mark water sources or their travel routes.

Scaling steep mountain slopes to precisely carve these images stands as a unique testament to the determination and technical skill of ancient humans.