Petroglyphs of Almaty Region and Kazakhstan -
Archaeology and archaeological tours in Zhetysu Region in Kazakhstan -
In the heart of the mighty Altyn-Emel Nature Reserve, among the rocks and winds, where the steppe smoothly turns into the foothills, a place is hidden, as if created for revelations. This Terekty Gorge is a place of power, an ancient stone archive, in which scenes from distant eras still live on the walls of time. Here, on smooth granite slabs, petroglyphs are carved - messages from people who left thousands of years ago and left us their drawings on stones. You can get to Terekty only off-road, through the village of Basshi with an experienced guide and in an SUV. This makes the trip not just an excursion, but a real adventure. Along the way you will encounter wild landscapes, wide horizons and a complete feeling of being cut off from civilization. The gorge seems to be waiting for those who are ready to listen.
Terekty Petroglyphs and gorge is not just a picturesque gorge, but one of the most significant monuments of rock art in Central Asia. The petroglyphs found here date back to the 2nd millennium BC - the Bronze Age, the Scythian period and even later nomadic cultures. Imagine: you are standing in front of a stone wall, and on it are depicted - hunting scenes, images of bulls, mountain goats, argali, people with bows, camels and deer. These are not just drawings - this is energy frozen in stone.
How to get there and visit -
The Terekty petroglyphs are located in the Terekty mountain gorge in the Altyn-Emel National Nature Park and Reserve, Kerbulak District, Zhetysu Region, Republic of Kazakhstan.
Information -
The atmosphere in Terekty is special: the sounds are muffled, the wind seems to whisper about what was long before us. Here you can feel not just history - you can feel the spirit. The place seems to be imbued with attention to the sky, the earth and the ancestors. People came here not only to leave a trace - they came to talk to the gods, to capture the essence of the world through lines and symbols. Some human figures are depicted with curved horns - perhaps these are shamans, priests, bearers of knowledge. There are even scenes reminiscent of astronomical rituals or sacrifices. When you stand in front of these petroglyphs, you seem to cross the border of time. Between you and the one who carved these signs are thousands of years, but in this silence you suddenly become closer. There are no accidents in this stone - only a conscious trace left in eternity. The nature around amazes with its pristine nature. The narrow gorge is lost among the folds of the stone ridges, and the landscape itself seems to have been created to hide this ancient temple in the open air. The rocks are gray-pink, black, gray in places, polished by time. In the spring months, the gorge is filled with the aromas of wild mint, wormwood and flowering shrubs, and on the slopes, you can find rare birds and traces of mountain animals.
Terekty is not just archeology. It is a living place where stones talk. Where every bend of the rock is like a line in a book written before the appearance of letters. And if you are looking for a place where you can feel the whisper of the ancient world - this is it.
Attractions nearby:
Singing Dune
700-year-old willow
Chokan Valikhanov Spring
Besshatyr Mounds
Big Besshatyr Mound
Besshatyr Menhirs (stone steles)
Oshaktas Steles (stone steles)
Aktau Mountains (White Mountains)
Katutau Mountains (lava mountains)
Altynemel Mountain Range
Sholak Mountains
Ulken-Kalkan Mountains
Kysty-Kalkan Mountains
Matai Mountains
Degeres Mountains
Kerkulans (Przewalsky horse)
Kulans (wild donkeys)
Sights of Altyn-Emel Park
History of Besshatyr Mounds
Legend of the Singing Dunes
History of the Przewalski horse
Fauna of Altyn-Emel Park
Flora of Altyn-Emel Park
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