A newly attain cave in Sinai , Egypt , is the first of its variety in the part to be observe decorated from floor to cap with colorful ancient painting – and it was all by opportunity .
Egyptologists with theMinistry of Tourism and Antiquities , Arab Republic of Egyptdiscovered the cave in a part located 30 kilometers ( 19 mile ) north of the city St. Catherine and 60 kilometers ( 38 Swedish mile ) southeast fromSarabit el - Khadem , an ancient Egyptian urban center famous for its aqua mines . The sandstone cave is locate in a difficult - to - access area , measuring about 3 m mysterious ( 9.8 foot ) by 3.5 metre broad ( 11.5 feet ) , said Dr. Mustafa Ministers , Secretary - General of the High Council of Antiquities in a Facebookpost .
Dark red painting of animals , including donkeys and mules , on the roof are consider the old , tracing back to between 5,500 and 10,000 BCE . The body of the animals from this geological era are consistent throughout the cave – five of the same creature are seen on the roof at the entrance of the tax shelter , as well as a set of human prints on the ceiling and on a rock at the center of the cave .
The second group of paintings is qualify by paintings that come out to be woman and animals during the Chalcolithic Period , or Copper Age , the era between the Neolithic and Bronze Ages characterize as a conversion between stone - tool use to metal - working .
The Sinai Peninsula is a heavy desert landmass locate between the Gulf of Suez and the Suez Canal . The region has been inhabited since prehistorical times with the earliest written information dating back to 3,000 BCE , when ancient Egyptians recorded their explorations searching for bull ore , accord toBritannica . stone artwork in Egypt is spread throughout the land and for the most part split between ancient paintings discovered in the Red Sea Hills in the Orient and to the primal Nile Valley and westwards toward the Western Desert , grant to theTrust for Africa Rock Art . The earliest rock-and-roll art date to around 17,000 - years - honest-to-goodness and has been discovered recently . Among the continent ’s many rock graphics caves is the most well - known “ Cave of Swimmers ” in Egypt ’s hilly Sahara plateau , Gilf Kebir .
