Archaeologists have described the oldest petroglyphs in the territory of the Mongolian Altai

A group of archaeologists has characterized ancient petroglyphs discovered in the territory of the Mongolian Altai. This was reported on December 2 by the journal Science in Siberia.

"The petroglyphs we study are located on open planes, and not all experts accept our concept that the oldest images can be located on open planes. However, while working in Mongolia and Altai, including Ukok, at one time we came across a very interesting object — the Kalgutinsky mine, where we discovered, from our point of view, very ancient rock carvings, especially horses, executed, as it turned out, in a certain stylistic manner," — shared by the Advisor to the Director of the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS) Vyacheslav Molodin.

According to the publication, the Kalgut style is characterized by such features as the depiction of animals with rounded and saggy bellies, elongated muzzles and a special position of the legs. In addition to horses and mountain sheep, the objects also feature figures of deer, marals, bulls and reptiles.

Archaeologists have been working on this monument for a long time. After the publication of the research results, discussions began in the scientific community. The experts who discovered the petroglyphs have already suggested an early date, but not everyone agreed with this conclusion. According to Molodin, the idea of ancient times arose on the basis of the original style of drawing, which is found in other places.

"It turned out that this is not one, but a series of monuments adjacent to Ukok from Mongolia, and targeted research has already discovered many rock carvings in Mongolia, including those related to the Kalgutin style," he added.

The specialists who study the Kalguta petroglyphs relied on the experience of studying European cave paintings. Molodin explained that French archaeologists were involved in this case, including Professor Jean-Michel Jeanest, a specialist in cave painting. He noted that the group worked together on the Kalgut images on Ukoka.

"Firstly, it was possible to establish the time when the rocky part of the plateau was freed from ice and, as it were, came to the surface, and the ancient man had the opportunity to create drawings. Both Russian and French scientists came to the conclusion that this happened just at the end of the Pleistocene, moreover, petroglyphs could have been applied here more than 20 thousand years ago. Then, images of Pleistocene animals, mammoths and rhinoceroses, made in the Kalgut style, were discovered in Mongolia, which indicates that indeed, there is a layer of the oldest images in this part of Asia," Molodin emphasized.

The scientists spent several field seasons on expeditions. In 2020, they, along with their Mongolian colleagues, began working on a new monument, Olon—Kuringol-5, on the right bank of the river of the same name. Images were found there in a manner similar to the Kalguta petroglyphs.

Allegedly, at the moment there are about 10 monuments with early images in the Mongolian Altai region. The researchers studied the monuments in very picturesque and harsh places. Despite the short and cool summer, the specialists were able to conduct a full-fledged shooting. Archaeologists believe that the drawings of animals in the Kalguta sanctuary and other complexes are connected compositionally.

"The fact that these monuments were places of worship, sanctuaries where certain mysteries and rituals took place, is evidenced by the configuration of the platform itself, which served as a canvas for drawings: it is horizontal, with a slight slope, such surfaces in Mongolia are called "ram's foreheads." They represent rock outcrops, peculiar platforms polished by winds and glaciers, as a result of which it was convenient for ancient people to apply images on these planes," Molodin specified.

The monuments also contain more ancient petroglyphs dating back to the Bronze Age. It is specified that they depict hunting scenes, chariots that appeared during this period of people, but only animals were depicted in the oldest drawings.

On December 1, Arkeonews magazine reported the discovery of a unique obsidian mirror in Kanhasan, Turkey. According to the publication, the find dates back to about 6.5 thousand BC — 8.5 thousand years ago. The researchers emphasized that this type of mirror was typical for the Anatolian region. This discovery opens up the view that the creation of such products was a local innovation based on local craft traditions.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.