Petroglyph studies in the Chagan river valley (Southern Altai)

The author presents the data of the field studies of asynchronous rock art sites in the Kosh-Agach Region of the Altai Autonomous Republic in the southern part of the Russian Altai. The 2018 work schedule includes several reconnaissance routes and mapping petroglyphs of various ages in several areas in the Chagan Basin with the aid of GIS-technologies. For thefirst time, a drone aerophotography was executed in order to develop a topographic map of the area showing the petroglyph localities. Certain regularities in spatial dispersal of petroglyphs have been recognized. The newly discovered chariot images enlarge the greatest existing repertoire of the rock art images of the transportation means that were in use in the southern Altai in the Bronze Age. New engraved images of the Ancient Turkic period were found. The newfinds support the idea of the continuous development of the rock art traditions in the Altai.