RIYADH: Majeed Khan, a Pakistani researcher who did his doctoral thesis on the rock art of Saudi Arabia from the University of Southampton, UK, is the one among many who helped Hail rock art to be included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Born in 1942, Khan did his M.Sc (Geography) from the University of Sindh, Pakistan, in 1966, followed by a diploma in prehistoric rock art from Centro Camuno di Studi Preistorici, Italy, in 1985. He has been working for over 40 years in the antiquities division of the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTNH).

In an exclusive talk with Arab News on Monday, Khan said: “I came here in 1976 and currently work as a senior consultant and adviser in the antiquities sector of the SCTNH. I am the one who introduced rock art in the Kingdom for research study.”

Khan is responsible for some of the most profound research on rock art, quite a feat considering no substantial work in this field existed before.

Besides dozens of research papers, Khan has 12 books to his credit on Saudi rock art, which have been published by the Ministry of Education.

Acknowledging his rich contributions, Prince Sultan bin Salman, president of SCTNH, recently received him in his office here at the commission’s headquarters, where Ali bin Ibrahim Al-Ghabban, supervisor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosque’s Program for the Care of the Kingdom’s Cultural Heritage and the head of Hail Rock Art registration team in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, was also present.

“They thanked me for the rich contribution as I was the one who initiated the effort to get the Hail rocks registered with the UNESCO heritage list,” Khan said.

SCTNH echoed the sentiment, saying Khan is the leading source on rock art in Saudi Arabia and has published several studies on the incredibly rich rock art in Hail province which has such sites sprinkled over much of its territory that includes two major components situated in a desert landscape: Jabal Umm Sinman at the Jibah site, which is located about 80 km inside Hail Nofoud, which is full of rock inscriptions and drawings; and the Jabal Al-Manjor and Raat Al-Shwimis site located in the southwest of Hail province, about 270 km from Hail city.

According to SCTNH, Khan along with a Saudi team of experts has significant contributions to their credit on rock art in the Kingdom.

“Khan has greatly contributed in highlighting the exceptional and cultural value of the ancient rock art,” said the commission. He also has an outstanding presence in the Arab and international arena.