Open air Museum Issyk Kull at Cholpon Ata

The size of the rock fragments ranges between 30 centimeters and 3 meters. The petroglyphs were initially incised with stone, later with metal tools into the glossy dark desert varnish on the surface of the stones. The motifs are taken from the everyday life of the artists: hunting, sacrifice and war scenes. Most of the petroglyphs, however, depict animals – ibexes, deer, horses, bulls, goats, dogs, wolves, tigers, among others. The majority of the stones bear more than one drawing. Sometimes two or three layers from different epochs overlap. Many petroglyphs fascinate through their realism. The depiction of camels with riders is considered evidence that, in the times of the Saka, a northern branch of the Silk Road ran along the shore of Yssyk-Köl. This is also confirmed by coin finds.

Other artifacts

In addition to the rock engravings, the open-air museum site features stone circles from the 1st millennium BC, burial mounds, ancient wall remains and Balbal stone sculptures.