Petroglyphs of Arpa-Uzen
Encyclopedia
The Petroglyphs of Arpa-Uzen can be found in the Karatau mounatin range of southern Kazakhstan
.
, the most abundant collection in all of southern Kazakhstan
. These pictorials depict scenes from life during the Late Bronze Age
to Early Iron Age
, portraying the domestication and sacrifice of animals amongst other things. A palimpsest
was formed wherein older petroglyphs were covered by Saka
pictorials from the Middle Ages
.
World Heritage Tentative List on September 24, 1998 in the Cultural category.
(see List of World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan)
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
.
Site description
The petroglyphs of Arpa-Uzen, located on ancient migration routes, include over 3500 examples of rock artRock art
Rock art is a term used in archaeology for any human-made markings made on natural stone. They can be divided into:*Petroglyphs - carvings into stone surfaces*Pictographs - rock and cave paintings...
, the most abundant collection in all of southern Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
. These pictorials depict scenes from life during the Late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
to Early Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
, portraying the domestication and sacrifice of animals amongst other things. A palimpsest
Palimpsest
A palimpsest is a manuscript page from a scroll or book from which the text has been scraped off and which can be used again. The word "palimpsest" comes through Latin palimpsēstus from Ancient Greek παλίμψηστος originally compounded from πάλιν and ψάω literally meaning “scraped...
was formed wherein older petroglyphs were covered by Saka
Saka
The Saka were a Scythian tribe or group of tribes....
pictorials from the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
.
World Heritage Status
This site was added to the UNESCOUNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Tentative List on September 24, 1998 in the Cultural category.
(see List of World Heritage Sites in Kazakhstan)