AMonumentIndependent states
Petroglyphs of Tamgaly
Thousands of images carved from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages, 170 km north-west of Almaty. A UNESCO site since 2004.
About 5,000 rock carvings have been recorded in the Tamgaly gorge. The oldest date to the 2nd millennium BC, the Bronze Age: "sun-headed" deities with solar discs around their heads, dancing figures, bulls and horses.
Ancient settlements, burials and altars have also been found, and later periods added Old Turkic runic inscriptions and Buddhist images.
The "Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly" were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004. Tamga means "brand, sign" in Old Turkic.
Sources
Updated: October 2, 2026