Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs

Чолпон-Ата петроглифтери

An open-air rock art museum on a hillside above the north shore of Issyk-Kul, where thousands of boulders are carved with ibex, snow leopards and hunting scenes from before the common era.

The Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs open-air museum lies on the hillside north of the resort town of Cholpon-Ata on Issyk-Kul's north shore. It covers about 42 hectares and is strewn with thousands of granite boulders carried down by glaciers, more than a thousand of which bear carvings. The carvings date from the Bronze Age (around 2000 BCE) through the Saka and Wusun periods in the early common era. The images are mostly of long-horned ibex, and also include deer, horses, camels, snow leopards, hunters and hunting scenes, rendered in simple, lively lines. Some stones are arranged in circles that may relate to ancient rituals. Standing among the stones, you have the Kungey Alatau range behind you and Issyk-Kul spread out below, a wide-open view. Admission is small (check on site). Getting there: about 5 minutes by taxi from Cholpon-Ata town center, or about 30 minutes on foot. Visiting tips: go in the early morning or late afternoon, when the low sunlight makes the carvings stand out, and avoid the midday sun. Note: touching, carving or pouring water on the petroglyphs is strictly prohibited, including to make them show up in photos. The site is large with no shade, so bring water.

Cholpon-Ata Petroglyphs

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