That sketch looks like a throwback to the early dynastic era, when climbers were more improvisational than we are today. They didn’t have nylon ropes, but they did use woven fibers—maybe hemp or flax—tied into simple braids that could hold a climber’s weight. For the handholds you see, they probably carved shallow slots into the rock and inserted wooden or bone stakes, then looped the fiber rope around them. The “special” part was the sheer skill of matching the rope tension to the handhold geometry, almost like a living puzzle. It wasn’t the sophisticated camming devices we use now, but it was enough to keep a few daring souls on the cliff face.

Yeah, that’s exactly how the old climbers tackled it. They’d weave a braided hemp rope and loop it through shallow stone slots they’d carved. The rope was living – it flexed and flexed, but when it dried out or the tension slipped, the whole system could give way. The fact that the slot still stands after all those years shows the stone outlasted the rope, but the rope was the limiting factor. It’s a reminder of how much they had to trust the materials and the geometry of the hold.