People always wanted to convey their thoughts and experiences, and long before the writing appeared, they found a unique way to tell what they feel with the help of cave paintings, which are real archaeological sites. Their scientific significance in the study of the spiritual culture of the Neolithic and Bronze periods is invaluable.
Such chronicles, carved by ancient artists with stone and metal tools, are found on all continents of our planet. And according to scientists, in 120 countries there are about 35 million different figures left to future generations.
Rock masterpieces
Petroglyph is a drawing carved on a stone, and the subject of images could be completely different. Everywhere where ancient people lived, rock masterpieces are found, which are considered particles of the culture of primitive tribes. The earliest images carried a magical meaning, and they were painted to appease spirits before fishing or hunting. Animals were imprinted on the stones, and then the outlines of people began to appear.
Circle or wave signs were most often used to create calendars. Over time, inscriptions began to appear on specially created stone structures, menhirs and dolmens, and they had a sacred meaning.
Cave paintings as a reflection of the attitude of an ancient person
According to scientists, a petroglyph is a story of a thinking person, thus expressing his vision of the world. The meaning of the drawing was of particular importance for the artist, who for a long time and painstakingly carved images in the rocks and polished all the chipped places. The most ancient masterpieces are more elegant and carefully drawn, and the later petroglyphs do not differ in compositional completeness and are rather crudely executed. Researchers believe that the symbols that appeared no longer carried a semantic load, and after the paper was invented, the need to carve inscriptions disappeared.
Therefore, we can say with confidence that a petroglyph is not pictures from nature, but a world processed by the consciousness of a primitive man , closely connected with a cult, a system of rites and beliefs.
Discoveries continue
Surprisingly, the traditions of applying ancient petroglyphs arise in different parts of the earth completely independently, and each archaeological monument has differences in the manner of application and the content of the image.
The discoveries of scientists continue today. It is believed that the oldest drawings on our planet are found in Australia, and their age exceeds 40 thousand years.
Karelian images
Petroglyphs found in Karelia are recognized as one of the most valuable creations of world significance. Cave paintings created six thousand years ago are widely known and often become objects of international research. The ancient art of primitive people attracts a large number of tourists for whom scientific excursions are organized.
Unencrypted Petroglyphs
Experts dubbed the petroglyphs of Karelia a “Stone Age Bible”, because their value for world culture is priceless. Drawings differ in that they are not on a vertical wall, but literally under the feet of visitors. Unfortunately, many signs carved by ancient creators are not decrypted to this day. Along with the familiar images of people and animals, strange signs coexist, more like aircraft. Scientists are sure that there is a deep meaning behind the drawings: first the symbols appeared in the minds of people, and only then - on the rock. They were knocked out in the 4th – 3rd centuries BC.
Archaeological complex of the White Sea
"White Sea petroglyphs" is the name of the archaeological complex, which includes not only drawings, but also the sites of an ancient man. About two thousand images are on the islands of Big Malinin, Shoirukshin, Yerpin Pudas, but perhaps the most interesting are the masterpieces of New and Old Zalavruga. Hunting drawings of the primitive era delight the special talent of ancient artists. Before expressive hunting scenes, reaching a size of more than 2.5 meters, tourists freeze in admiration. By the way, here you can see a drawing of a person running on skis.
Fantastic Drawings
Onega petroglyphs located in the Pudozhsky district on the shores of Lake Onega are combined into whole compositions. About 1200 images are clearly visible against the backdrop of a cliff of red casting, but there are those that are covered with lichens, and finding them the first time is not easy.
The drawings are significantly different from the White Sea in that they are filled with fantastic content. For example, on Cape Besov Nos you can see a strange tall figure with the face of an animal and spread out on the ground. It is believed that our ancestors portrayed a "demon." Next to him are drawings of a lizard and a burbot, which together make up the so-called triad.
Local residents always knew about the drawings, but considered them a product of the devil. A story is known about the monks of the Murom monastery who tried to expel the demon from the creations of ancient people, for which they knocked out crosses on cave figures.
Primeval temple
Mythological scenes left by our ancestors are studied by scientists from all over the world who have made a confession that they are observing a real primitive temple, in which granite rocks served as an iconostasis.
Unfortunately, not all drawings have reached us in their original state. Onega petroglyphs washed by water are erased with time, lichens and mosses corrode unique images, many have darkened and merged in color with the rocks, so now it is not possible to find them.
Living pictures
However, there are many well-preserved masterpieces of cave art, and the clarity of the carved images depends on the lighting. The sun's rays playing at dawn completely transform the petroglyphs of Karelia, and it seems that the signs left by our ancestors come to life before our eyes. Moving paintings are a unique sight for which tourists interested in culture rush here.
We can say that the petroglyph is not only a historically important object, but also a monument of art that allows you to read a unique stone book and touch ancient history. A carved image on a rock can tell a lot about the life of distant ancestors, and it is quite possible that new discoveries are just around the corner.