Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai

Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai — .

The Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai comprise the largest, oldest and least damaged concentrations of rock art at the intersection of Central and North Asia.

The petroglyphs are spread out across three components over a large area in mountain valleys at the remote western edge of the Altai mountains. The earliest images date from the Late Pleistocene (11,000 years BP). They extend into the Bronze Age, Iron Age and Turkic period (9th century). The images evoke historical cultural landscapes and lead to a better understanding of pre-historic communities in this area of Asia.

Community Perspective: this site has been unreviewed so far.

Map of Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai

Community Rating

3 Votes 2.37 Score

Site Info

Full Name: Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai
Unesco ID: 1382
Country: Mongolia
Inscribed: 2011
Type: Cultural
Criteria: 3
Categories: Archaeological site - Rock Art
Link: By ID

Site History

2011 Revision

Includes former TWHS Tsagaan salaa rock painting (1996) and The Upper Tsagaan Gol Complex (2009)

2011 Inscribed

Site Links

Unesco Website

Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai

Related

Rock Art and Surface Archaeology of Mongolia: Baga Oigor and Tsagaan Salaa

Locations

The site has 3 locations

Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai: Tsagaan Salaa-Baga Oigor

Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai: Upper Tsagaan Gol

Petroglyphs of the Mongolian Altai: Aral Tolgoi

Connections

The site has 13 connections

History

Bronze Age: Large compositions appear within this period (AB ev)

Iron Age: "This period, which coincides with the Scythian Period, reflects the development of a completely horsedependent, herding culture that dominated the steppes of Eurasia. The images are scenes of hunting and riding,." (AB ev)

Human Activity

Petroglyphs

Writing systems: Turkic Period (7th-9th c. CE): "To this period, also, belong a number of runic inscriptions." (AB ev)

Pastoralism: the high valleys used for summer pastures (AB ev)

Hunter-gatherers: The earliest images reflect a time (11,000 - 6,000 BC) when the area was partly forested and the valley provided a habitat for hunters of large game. (official description)

Religion and Belief

Sacred Mountains: Shiviit Khairkhan - "The mountain is still considered sacred by local people." (AB ev)

Science and Technology

Excavated by American Universities: University of Oregon

Timeline

Late Pleistocene: Oldest petroglyphs date from the Late Pleistocene (AB ev)

Visiting conditions

One thousand visitors or fewer: DD : “Tourist number is currently tiny”

World Heritage Process

Inscribed on a single criterion only: iii. to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared

Derived from more than one TWHS: Includes former TWHS Tsagaan salaa rock painting (1996) and The Upper Tsagaan Gol Complex (2009)

Visitors

9 Community Members have visited.

Bram de Bruin Erik Jelinek Iain Jackson Julianna Lees KarenBMoore KeithBailey Richard Stone Sutul Yevhen Ivanovych

The Plaque

No plaque has been identified yet for this site.