Kalbak Tash 2 investigation

We present here the results of Kalbak Tash 2 petroglyphs research provided by the Chuya team of IAET SB RAS in the course of 2015 excavation campaign in Central Altai. It was a continuation of the author ’s previous studies aimed to coping the graffiti, as well as to search for the new samples of engraved petroglyphs. Most of the Kalbak Tash 2 engravings were being created in the Hun-Sarmatian time and the ancient Turkic epoch. They represent the images of groups of animals (deer, goats, etc.), crossed by numerous lines and thrusted through by arrows. The latest observations confirm the thesis that these engravings associated with rites of hunting magic, when “killed” image of the animal delivered success of the hunters. Part of engravings has a number of holes over the image. It can evidences that metal items cut up images. The interesting finding - deer stone - was obtained on the occurrence Kalbak Tash 2 petroglyphs. It belongs to the so-called deer stones of Sayan-Altai type, which does not contain the stylized images of the deer and can been dated to the 7-5 centuries BC. The occurrence of Kalbak Tash 2 petroglyphs, in contrast to, for example, Kalbak-Tash 1, occupies a large area, divided into several sections, relatively distant from each other, and includes a numerous other objects (the mounds, boxes, steles, etc.). Apparently, these ancient constructions are associated with petroglyphs, and Kalbak Tash 2 occurrence can be seen as a sanctuary.