Scientists of the Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have carried out new archeological explorations in the Gorny Altai Region (Republic of Altai). Working together with their Japanese and American colleagues, they investigated rock paintings in the Kalguta River valley, at the Zhalgyz-Tobe mountain and also studied images on the rocks fragments at Mesheldyk opposite the village of Tebeler. The experts paid the greatest attention to objects which had been exposed to natural and anthropogenic impacts. They discovered hitherto unknown site of petroglyphs in the areas of Kurgak, Irbistu, Tarkhzata and Kurman-Tau (Kosh-Agachsky Region). Of doubtless interest to scientists have been two stone sculptures of the ancient Turks which were found by a local resident on the left bank of the Katun River in the Kyiu area. One of the statues is carved in the traditional manner with the right hand holding a vessel resting on the breast and the left hand-on the waist. One's attention is attracted by a necklace-a feature not very common on such sculptures and found only twice in the Altai Region. Another rare feature on the second sculpture are shoulder belts and certain other details of the costume. "One can also call rare luck the discovery of two unique runic monuments* on the territory of Altai." This view is expressed in an article in the NAUKA V SIBIRI ( (Science in Siberia) newspaper by two experts in the field - Dr. V. Kubarev and his co-worker G. Kubarev, Cand. Sc. (Hist.). They say both of these finds were made in the Chuyskaya Steppe, in an area on the border with Mongolia and Tuva. In their article the archeologists published for the first time complete translations of these inscriptions which had been made by a prominent expert in Turkic studies from St. Petersburg, Prof. S. Klyashtorny. One of the longest runic inscriptions was found in the Kurgak area of the Kosh- Agachsky Region. It is located on the no ... Читать далее