PETROGLYPHS OF THE TORGALYK DEPRESSION IN SOUTHERN TUVA
We presents here preliminary data on ancient rock carvings, found on the rock formations, which surrounded the Torgalyk depression in South Tuva, as well as on the residual hills at the territory of the depression. Carvings are indented on the vertical and the inclined rock flatnesses, usually located on the southern slopes. Almost all the petroglyphs are made in the embossing technique and only one were carved. Some of the subjects and compositions show up - they combine a group of animalistic images, anthropomorphic figures: hunting scenes, migrations of animals, especially such natural scenes, as doe, feeding her fawn. There are some battle scenes. The most popular carvings are images of mountain sheep, goats, deer, more than thousand in number. Human images are rare: the horsemen, dismount archers with bows and arrow quivers, figures without additional attributes. Animals and people are on the move. Carvings are asynchronous, it is supported by overlapping of the later images on the earlier on some flats. Part of petroglyphs, as well as rock surface where they are, naturally destroy, but it retrace the anthropogenic impact: graffiti made by oil color, embossing and carving on the ancient images or near them. Petroglyphs had to be studied and fixed for the conservation of data on the visual art of ancient Tuva people and determination of cultural and chronological attribution of these carvings.