Petroglyphs of Saimaluu-Tash

The geological distinctiveness of Saimaluu-Tash is found in its rocky basalt outcroppings. The basalt is of a thick and strong sort that breaks off in large blocks with smooth curved surfaces. The sun-baked crust on the surface of the stones affords a metallic, mirror-like shine.

Petroglyphs - the painting on the rocks, which were retained on stones and rocks at many places of the globe. Unique monuments of our ancestors which came from ages begin the history of the fine arts. In spite of the fact, that people have been studying petroglyphs for 200 years, some of them still become a mystery for us. Saimaluu-Tash is the largest gathering of petroglyphs in the Central Asia and consists of about 90 thousands specimens.

Even the best connoisseurs of ancient fine arts are delighted with this grand sanctuary of ancient nomadic tribes. There are both a lot of single petroglyphs and multi-image compositions. Saimaluu-Tash first of all is unique with its style's richness and many different ages of paintings, the most old of which are from the Bronze Age (from 3rd age - beginning of the 1st millennium B.C. to 8^th age A.D.). Within the multiplicity of the Saimaluu-Tash, scholars have identified a number of essentially distinct styles. The most ancient of these being the subtle geometric representations of animals in linked triangles or rectangles - analogous to the Middle Eastern ceramics from the third to first millennium B.C. It is an exhibition locked in time. These petroglyphs are geometric signposts in skeletal technique, with simple lines, static symbol and lonely figures.

Such wide range of ages shows the best correlation with richness of subjects, characters and symbols. Animal world is widely represented in the place, there are elephants, lions, snow-leopards, wolfs, ibexes, red deer, birds and reptiles. Domestic animals are shown as horses, bulls and yaks. Multi-image compositions depict scenes of hunting, domestication of wild animals, migrating along mountain paths, ritual dances of masked people, sun- and moon-shaped men and their taking drive on harnessed chariots and carriages, dances of demonic, resembling a human creatures with canine heads and hypertrophied huge arms. Authors of earnest scientific articles regard Saimaluu-Tash as monument of culture with universal importance.

About modern fine art of Saimaluu-Tash
Young kyrgyz artist working with ceramics, whose name is Jumagul Tashiev, with the highest craftsmanship reflects all range of petroglyphs in his works.
Jumagul Tashiev was born in 1956 year in Kara-Kojun village of At-Bashi region. His father Tashi, who was a people's wood master, caused his interest to the fine art works. Skills given by his father showed the young man the way to Bishkek artificial college named after Chuikov, to the major artificial ceramics. J. Tashiev graduated from it in 1981. Since 1984 he successfully took part in the republic, regional and international exhibitions. In 1990 he becomes the member of the People's masters Union in art and from 1992 he is the member of USSR Artists Union.

Series of his works "Saimaluu-Tash" brought success to the young artist. Many of them are in the Kyrgyz State Museum of Art. The creation of new work without misrepresents the original paintings on rock which consonant to our time is the aim of young master.

Also there is art gallery "Saimaluu-Tash". And everyone who is interested in petroglyphs of Saimaluu-Tash and works of J. Tashiev may visit the gallery, which is on the north-eastern side of the Ala-Too Square, not far from historical museum.