A new analysis of intriguing rock ‘n’ roll artistic production has archeologist question whether they ’ve found the early petroglyph in Siberia , grant toThe Siberian Times . First discovered in 1992 on the Ukok Plateau — a remote , high - elevation region of grassland in the Altai Mountains near Russia ’s border with China , Kazakhstan , and Mongolia — the petroglyphs have drive a raw tone this summertime by archaeologists from Novosibirsk State University , with assistance from some French colleagues .
The petroglyphs , which depict horses and bison , were carved into glacier - polished rhyolite , a volcanic rock . The farting - swept tableland has niggling deposit for archaeologists to engagement , so they looked for helper from geomorphologists , who determined when glacier retreated from the site . They say that could have happened between 8000 and 10,000 years ago . If the stone art is that ancient , it ’s thousands of years older than any other known rock art in Siberia .
" We have converging datum suggesting that the petroglyph could be palaeolithic and thus the most ancient hump in Siberia , " NSU ’s Lidia Zotkina told theSiberian Times . " When the Gallic archaeologist first arrived on the Ukok Plateau and saw the petroglyphs they said : ' If we had witness them somewhere in France , we would not doubt they are palaeolithic , but here , in Siberia , we postulate to check their eld . ' "
They ’re currently examine to see whether the etchings were made by stone or metal tools . Stone tools would indicate an other age , though not necessarily as old as the Paleolithic . metallic element tools , however , would firmly place the petroglyphs in a far more modern era . So far , the tests seem to indicate they were made with Harlan F. Stone tool .
The Ukok Plateau is aUNESCO World Heritage Sitethat is well base as a part that different people call home for millennium . Its most famous resident physician by far is the so - calledIce Maiden(also known as the Princess of Ukok ) , whose intricately tattooed skin has made her famous since she was discover on the plateau in 1993 , her remains having been immaculately preserved by the permafrost for more than 2500 years . She is believed to have been a extremity of the Pazryk citizenry , and in all likelihood died at around age 25 .
