Tamgaly Archaeological Landscape Rock Carvings

　　The Tamgaly Archaeological Landscape Rock Carvings are located in the Tamgaly Gorge, which was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. Surrounded by expansive mountain ranges, the Tamgaly Gorge lies among the arid and spacious mountains between the Chu and Ili river basins, featuring over 5,000 rare ancient rock carvings dating from the 1st millennium BCE to the early 20th century.

　　Most of these works are scattered across sites of ancient human dwellings and burial grounds, reflecting aspects of local farming, social organization, and religious rituals. Additionally, the Tamgaly Gorge contains large areas of ancient burial complexes. Some low walls and foundation ruins bear intricate petroglyphs that have been identified as remnants of ancient altars, used for placing offerings and commemorating fallen heroes. Among the rock carvings, human figures are the least depicted, while animals are the most commonly illustrated. Scholars have come to recognize these images on the rocks as some of humanity’s earliest visual expressions—crucial pre-writing records that provide invaluable information for reconstructing human history.