Gorno-Badakhshan has more than 10,000 petroglyphs and pictographs, several dating from the late paleolithic period
(8,000 BCE). Most are (fortunately for their preservation) some distance from the main roads and many villagers are unaware of their presence. (The pictures below illustrate what can happen when unthinking local people deface a rock exhibiting petroglyphs.)

Until funds are available for recording, analysing and dating
(and, not least, protecting) them, the photographs below
(kindly provided by Markus Hauser and Vatani Alidodov) are intended only as a first indicator of this cultural and historical wealth and as an incentive to the serious traveller in the Pamirs (are there any others just yet?) to explore further.

A petroglyph is an image engraved on a rock. A pictograph is an image painted on a rock.

Petroglyphs in Langar (Ishkashim district)

Pictographs in Shakhty cave (Murghab district)

Reproduction of petroglyphs in Akjilga (Murghab district)


More petroglyphs in Ishkashim District

Sufi poem

Hand of Ali (5 principles of Islam) and rubob in anthropomorphic shape

Hand, rubob, rider and ibex

Anthropomorphic figures in the shape of a rubob

Anthropomorphic figures with dogs (?)

Rider with sword (?)

Hands and rubob

Ibex

Rubob

Sufi poem

Zulficar, sword of Ali

Sufi poem

Ibex

 

 

---

All text and photographs (c) Robert Middleton 2002

---

Web master Romanyuk Mikhail