Shishkinskye petroglyphs. Ancient rock carvings.

An english version of this my post.

  

  Not far from the village Kachug (Irkutsk region, Russia) there are Shishkinskye petroglyphs ("Shishkinskye pisanytsy") - a complex of cave paintings, made in the days from the late Neolithic era (IV century BC) to the XIX century. Of course, the "cave paintings" and inscriptions of a later time, such as "Vasya was here" are also presented in abundance, but we talk not about these vandals (though ... after a couple of centuries, if the complex will still remain, it will also become part of the story, though not the best). Petroglyphs are located along the Lena River.

  As Wikipedia says, there were more than 3 thousand paintings (according to other sources, about 2 thousand). However, it's rather difficult to get to many of them, so we can see a much smaller amount, and they are gradually disappearing due to natural causes (shedding of rocks and stones, erasing / color fading drawings due to the wind and water over time) as well as сareless or harmful people's attitude. 

  Although this complex of petroglyphs is an archaeological site, it's practically not protected, only in the very beginning the caretaker's house stands. The most that he can do is to ask people to wak there gently, not to climb highly and to handle with rocks and drawings carefully. And there is a road right under the complex where cars drive, not the loaded backbone of course, but nonetheless. Sadly. Shishkinskye petroglyphs may soon disappear altogether.

  We followed the advice of the caretaker, walked on a low-trodden path and watched the most accessible of the drawings.

  So strange and wonderful feeling - to see real pictures made so long ago, an antiquity imprinted on the rocks. Figures generally depict people and a variety of animals, both wild and pets, even camels are there!

  And there are strange icons also.

  Rock carvings are different in technique - deep scraped, scratched, painted black or white.

   There are many pictures that are already half erased and almost invisible, and those where it is difficult to understand what was originally shown.

  By the way, one of these images, the rider with a banner on a horse, was taken as an emblem for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) - one of thу regions of Russia. Here it is (left one)):

  And here is an emblem for the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia):

Image sourсe

  My advise for everyone who has the opportunity - to visit and see with your own eyes on ancient artistic monuments. Still there is something to see. The road is not too good in places, but it is quite possible to drive. And yet there is a beautiful nature)

And we saw a whole colony of ladybirds in the rocks :)