Authors Mariyashev A. N.
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It is possible to determine the meaning and purpose of only a few of the petroglyph subjects. Many plots have not yet been interpreted, and are still a mystery for people of present.
Researchers of Petroglyphs indicate that places with large concentration of ancient petroglyphic images can be considered sanctuaries.
It is well known that early mankind used cliffs, groves, and mountains as temples (photo 34), before they started to build sanctuaries. Therefore the Petroglyphs can be considered as a component of ancient sanctuaries. There is a possibility that they served as altar, explaining and reminding visitors the famous myths. However, nowadays the connection of Petroglyphs with sacred zone can only presumably be traced. Martynov A.I. singled out holy stones, individual drawings, logical narrative scenes and large sanctuaries.
It seems that singling out the types of sanctuaries is possible only by emanating from their functions. The sizes and the location of sanctuaries often indicate their function. There are many Petroglyphs at the foot of mountains and in steppe zones, among which large and small concentration ofPetroglyphic pictures can be identified.
As a rule, large groups of Petroglyphs are considered to be intertribal sanctuaries and the sanctuaries Tamgaly and Eshkiolmes in Semirechie should be the first sanctuaries ranked among them. Here one can see several thousand pictures. The presence of large multi-figured compositions and variety of cult plots distinguish these sanctuaries from the others.
Various sacrificial places and graves, different in their construction, by their funeral ceremony, as well as by their sets of things can be discovered not far from the cliffs with Petroglyphs. This allows the presumption that the sanctuary belonged to more than one generation and tribe. In small sanctuaries, there are some Petroglyphs scattered around, which have more analogous subjects. Apparently, they served for execution of everyday cults and for esteem of generation safety.
V.V.Saraev, a researcher of Semirechie, has discovered flat area with the indications ofinhabition right at the exit of the clove. Often in the settlement area there were rocks with some Petroglyphs. Obviously, these small sanctuaries belonged to one family. In addition to large and small sanctuaries, there were ones that were medium sanctuaries. It is difficult to say what population these or other sanctuaries served. Similar "temples in an open air" are usually found in area of mountainous caravan roads, such as Saimaly-Tash, or in high-level pastures, as Dzhungarsky Terecty and Malyi Koitas.
Petroglyphs on the cliffs, serving as a history and showing how the world functions,_possibly, also served as a background for carrying out different rites. It is defined that cult members, while appropriating the rocks for a temple, took into consideration the peculiarities of perception of people located at the foot of the mountain. Dark rocks and light pictures on the background of the sky gave the impression of the feeling of anticipation and majesty of the event to the spectators. When there were no cliffs, then big boulders with some space in front of them served as the altar, which distinctly contrasted the background of the mountains (photo 35). Here we come to the cult of harmony and world order, present not only in Petroglyphs and separate plots, but also in the design of sanctuaries. They were adapted to temples in accordance with the reflection of world understanding by ancient people. Every sanctuary represented the model of the world or the part of this model.
Considering the evolution issues, one may note, the availability of modeled . petroglyphic art in the Saimaly-Tash and on analogous sanctuaries of 3rd - beginning of 2nd millennium Before Christ. It was related to a well-developed anthropomorphic mythology. The set of metaphorical images and symbols, in combination with separate pictures of people and animals, represented a sign system, which was apparent for people of that Age. Conditional symbol was not subject to any changes and existed for a very long time. But starting the Petroglyphs of steppe zone many signs and symbols disappeared, and the plots become more repetitious than those of Saimalytash. However, the principle canons of anthropomorphic mythology are preserved in the most early sanctuary of Semirechie- Tamgaly .
