Ancient site · New Valley
Cave of Swimmers
A rock shelter on the Gilf Kebir plateau in the Western Desert, decorated with Neolithic rock art of figures that seem to swim.
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The story
The Cave of Swimmers is a rock shelter on the Gilf Kebir plateau in the Western Desert, in New Valley Governorate in south-west Egypt near the Libyan border. Hungarian explorer László Almásy discovered it in October 1933. It holds rock art of figures in swimming-like poses that is thousands of years old; estimates range from about 6,000 to more than 10,000 years.
Good to know
- The Hungarian explorer László Almásy discovered the cave in October 1933.
- Some sources date the art to roughly 6,000-9,000 years ago, while others give more than 10,000 years.
- The cave lies in Wadi Sura, on the southern edge of the Gilf Kebir plateau.