Zhaoshaogou Rock Carvings

　　These are rock carvings on a gentle mountain slope. The site is located on the southern slope at the western entrance of Zhaoshaogou, about 15 kilometers southeast of downtown Wuhai City. It belongs to the Zhuozishan–Helanshan fold belt, which is an extension of the northern Helanshan Mountain range. The area features sparse vegetation and a desolate landscape. The geological structure consists of Ordovician gray limestone, with a small number of Cambrian shale and argillaceous shale formations. The hardness of the limestone is rated at 7 on the Mohs scale. This is a cultural relic from the Neolithic Age, left behind by northern nomadic peoples.

　　In May 1986, the People's Government of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region designated these rock carvings as a key cultural relic protection unit of the autonomous region. The carvings were pecked and ground into a gentle slope of approximately 30 degrees. They are concentrated on a limestone outcrop covering about 650 square meters, divided into three sections by small gullies formed by rainwater erosion. Scattered carvings are also found within an area of about 400×400 meters.