Cave of Swimmers (Wadi Sura)
Egypt · Africa
Tiny swimming figures on a Sahara cliff — painted when the desert was green, later made famous by “The English Patient.”
Age
~10,000 yrs
Period
Neolithic Subpluvial
Setting
Rock shelter
Art form
Paintings
Discovered
1933
Status
Open (Remote Desert Access)
In the remote Gilf Kebir plateau, László Almásy recorded a rock shelter whose walls show small human figures apparently swimming. Painted during the “Green Sahara,” they are powerful evidence that lakes once filled this now-hyperarid desert. The site featured in the film “The English Patient.”
Gallery
Notable Features
- ◦ Figures shown swimming in the desert
- ◦ “Green Sahara” evidence
- ◦ Featured in “The English Patient”
Depicted Subjects
SwimmersHuman FiguresAnimals
Plan a Visit
AccessThis cave can be visited.
Sources & Further Reading
Hours & prices change — always confirm on the official site before travelling.
Photographs via Wikimedia Commons — image credits. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.