Dhaka, Oct. 1 -- Researchers have uncovered life-size rock carvings of camels, gazelles and other animals in the Saudi Arabian desert, dating back nearly 12,000 years.

The monumental engravings, some standing over six feet (1.8 meters) tall, were crafted using wedge-shaped stones to produce sharp and detailed lines. Remarkably, several were etched onto narrow ledges, making it impossible for the artists to step back and view their work in progress.

"To engrave that much detail with just a rock takes real skill," said Maria Guagnin, archaeologist at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Germany, who was part of the research team.

The discovery suggests people inhabited the area about 2,000 years earlier than previously believed...