CAIRO, EGYPT—Graffiti dating to the medieval period was discovered engraved on the walls of a cave in southeastern Egypt, according to a report in Ahram Online. Mohamed Abdellatif of Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities said the cave was used as a rest stop by travelers passing through what is known as the Gold Triangle area, marked by the cities of Safaga and Quesseir at the base, and the city of Qena at the top. Some of the carvings have been damaged by erosion, but Mohamed Tuni of the Red Sea Governorate’s Islamic and Coptic Antiquities Department said two of the texts have been read. The first says “There is no God except Allah,” and the second reads, “God has returned the poor slave Youssef Bin Hatem Al-Shati to his family in 755 of Hegira. May God have mercy on him and his parents and all the Muslims. Amen.” The ministry may restore the graffiti and put the cave on the official list of protected heritage sites. To read about religious medieval graffiti in England, go to "Writing on the Church Wall."
