Thousands of years before writing came to the Tien Shan, people carved pictures into the rocks: ibex and deer, horses and hunters, chariots, dancers and suns. Kyrgyzstan is one of the richest places in Central Asia for this rock art — petroglyphs — and for the stone figures of the Turkic era, the balbals.
How the petroglyphs were made
Most images were pecked into the dark ‘desert varnish’ that covers the stones, so they show up lighter against the surface. Some figures are fully hammered out as silhouettes; others are cut as deep lines with a sharp tool. The oldest go back to the Stone and Bronze Ages; many were made by Saka (Scythian) tribes, and people kept adding images into the Middle Ages.
They are not just hunting scenes. Many scholars see them as mythological images — the sun, sacred animals and rituals of the people who lived here.
Where to see petroglyphs
Cholpon-Ata (Issyk-Kul)
The easiest and most impressive site to visit: an open-air field of huge boulders just above the town of Cholpon-Ata, with the snowy Kungei Ala-Too behind and the lake below. Look for ibex with great curved horns, deer, wolves, hunters and a snow leopard. It is an easy stop on any trip around Issyk-Kul — best in the soft light of early morning or evening.
Saimaluu-Tash (Fergana range)
‘The patterned stones’ — one of the largest rock art sites in Central Asia, with tens of thousands of images on two high plateaus of the Fergana range, above 3,000 m. Scenes show animals, ploughing, carts, ritual dances and many sun signs. The site lies far from any road and is snowbound most of the year; it can be reached only in high summer (roughly July–August) on a long hike or horse ride, usually from the Kazarman area. A real adventure for keen trekkers — ask us about it.
Sulaiman-Too (Osh)
The sacred mountain in the centre of Osh has petroglyphs right along its paths — geometric signs, suns, ibex, horses and birds. It is the most accessible site in the south and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Other sites
- Aravan (near Osh) — carvings of the famous ‘heavenly horses’ of Fergana, which Chinese emperors prized, beside a small pilgrimage shrine.
- Talas valley — several sites, including Kurgan-Tash with Bronze Age images and the Urmaral and Kaman-Suu gorges.
- Tamga-Tash (south shore of Issyk-Kul) — a boulder with a Tibetan Buddhist inscription.
- Ak-Chunkur — a remote cave in the Sary-Jaz valley with Stone Age paintings.
Balbals — the stone warriors
Balbals are stone statues from the Turkic period (roughly the 6th–10th centuries), found from Mongolia to the steppes of southern Russia. They stood on burial mounds and hilltops, facing east. Each one is believed to represent an ancestor or a warrior — some say an enemy he defeated — and to guard the living.
A typical balbal has a stern face with eyebrows, eyes and a moustache, no neck, raised shoulders and a cup in the right hand, sometimes a sword or dagger at the belt. Many have plaits carved on the back. They range from small figures to almost human height.
Where to see balbals
- Burana Tower near Tokmok — an open-air collection of dozens of balbals and stones with petroglyphs brought together from across the Chui valley, next to the 11th-century minaret of ancient Balasagun. An easy half-day trip from Bishkek.
- Issyk-Kul — balbals stand at the Cholpon-Ata open-air museum and in museums around the lake.
- On the road — you can still find balbals standing alone in the steppe, especially in the Naryn and Issyk-Kul regions.
Visiting tips
- Never touch, chalk or wet the carvings to make them clearer — it damages them. Photograph them in low sunlight instead, when the relief stands out.
- Don’t climb on the stones or carve anything new.
- At Cholpon-Ata and Burana there is a small entrance fee; bring cash in som.
- Wear a hat and bring water — there is little shade at the open-air sites.
Visit petroglyphs and balbals on our Issyk-Kul and Silk Road tours. Read more: a short history of Kyrgyzstan and religion & sacred places.
