To the problem of similarity and distinction of materials of settlements and cult places of Mountain Altai

Purpose: In the last decades interest to such extraordinary type of archaeological objects what the cult place-pisanitsa is increased. The point of view of rather sacral importance existing in scientific literature of the petroglyphic locations even more often finds confirmation in the form of found traces of honoring of rock drawings. Considering importance of an interpretative problem, an attempt of allocation of similar and distinctive features of a sanctuary and the settlement (parking, location) is made that would allow to refer this or that archaeological object to a certain type of monuments more precisely. Results: The cult monument distinguishes uniqueness of a landscape, inaccessibility, existence of suitable petroglyphs for drawing rocky surfaces and traces of cult activity, and also relative compactness of a bedding of occupation layers before a rocky surface with drawings. The cultural horizons thus found the specific set of artifacts different from finds from settlement layers: tips of arrows, the fragmentary ceramic material, being characterized lack of archaeological whole forms; the osteological remains with a mass fraction of bones of extremities, of the cranial parts, teeth and horns of hoofed animals. Besides, the fragmentariness of artifacts and traces of deliberate damage of subjects are present not only at ceramic stock of sanctuaries, but as a sign of belonging to cult attributes, are characteristic practically for all ware complex of altars. Often met sign of a sanctuary is also existence traces of influence of fire on artifacts and high concentration centers, being localized at rocky walls. The artifacts connected with cult activity - ceramic vessels, tools, the weapon, jewelry, in some cases has a specific decor in the form of zoo-and anthropomorphous images who is often finding direct parallels in rock paintings. Repetition of plots of petroglyphs on artifacts from layers of altars emphasizes, first of all, interrelation of rock drawings with cultural layers and their functioning as a uniform complex. In materials of settlements traces of the similar interrelation causing localization of inhabited space at rocky exits, no. One more sign marking sanctuary is presence at an occupation layer of the last anthropological materials - parts of a skeleton of the person, separate burials, single bones. Conclusion: The combination of all or parts of the criteria listed here in an archaeological petroglyphic complex allows to call monuments such not settlement, but sacral objects. At classification of monuments it is necessary to consider, thus, all complex of the revealed signs, paying special attention to prevalence of its household or cult components that will allow to interpret typologically disputable archaeological objects more evidential and authentically).