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Via Nostalgia
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape 1
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape 2
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape 3
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape 4
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape 5
© UNESCO World Heritage Centre
UNESCO WHCCulturalInscribed 2007

Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape

Overview

Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape covers three areas of a plateau of rocky boulders rising out of the semi-desert of central Azerbaijan, with an outstanding collection of more than 6,000 rock engravings bearing testimony to 40,000 years of rock art. The site also features the remains of inhabited caves, settlements and burials, all reflecting an intensive human use by the inhabitants of the area during the wet period that followed the last Ice Age, from the Upper Paleolithic to the Middle Ages. The site, which covers an area of 537 ha, is part of the larger protected Gobustan Reservation.

About Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape

The Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape is a historic site in Azerbaijan, comprising a large collection of petroglyphs that reflect the flora, fauna, hunting practices, social structures, and cultural expressions of human societies from prehistoric to medieval times. These engravings provide detailed depictions of anthropomorphic figures, such as lance-bearers and ritualistic dance scenes, as well as various animal species, bullfighting events, camel caravans, and celestial symbols such as the sun and other stars. Estimated to date back approximately 5,000 to 20,000 years, the rock art offers insight into the spiritual life and daily activities of early human populations in the region. It is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and forms part of the larger Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve, which preserves archaeological, cultural, and natural landmarks.

Read more on Wikipedia

Selection Criteria

(iii)

Components(3 locations)

Details

Countries
Azerbaijan
ISO Codes
AZ
Area
537.22 ha
Coordinates
40.1250, 49.3750
View on UNESCO World Heritage Centre
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