Petroglyph on a Stone from the slopes of the Oglakhty mountain range

Abstract

The subject of this research is a petroglyph from the Oglakhtinsky mountains. After examining the drawing in various interpretative directions, the authors came to the conclusion that the stone is an image of clothing or a stylized anthropomorphic figure in wide robes, and it can be dated from the 19th to the first half of the 20th centuries. Judging by the plots of Siberian petroglyphs, this tradition appeared in the Eneolithic era (5000 years ago), when stylized frontal female images in wide clothes appeared on the rocks of Altai and Mongolia. Since the beginning of the new era, an artistic tradition has developed in the rock art of the region, providing for the illustration of traditional clothing with an emphasis on its details (shape, interior decor, exterior design). The main attention is paid to ceremonial clothes, patterns on them, their external design, which, apparently, emphasize not only social status, but also carry a certain sacred meaning. We come across the remnants of this tradition on the example of petroglyphs on the Oglakhtinsky plates, where its forms and, possibly, content have been conservatively preserved. It is impossible to exclude the pragmatic aspect of the semantics of the sought petroglyphs, reflecting the desire to combine experience, preserve traditions and pass on to descendants “instructions” for making clothes and patterns.