Gobustan
preserve is located in the eastern part of Azerbaijan, on the territory
of Beyukdash, Kichikdash and Jingirdag Mountains of Big Gobustan. The
peaks of these mountains are covered with a dense layer of fine Absheron
limestone with thickness of 10-15 m. Geological age of this layer
formed of the remains of sea animals — seashells is measured with
millions of years. In the course of a long-lasting geological period the
edges of these layers, at the result of the impact of nature – rains,
landslides, wind, heat, earthquakes, gradually breaking off were falling
down. As a result of this, the feet of the mountains covered with quite
big rock stones.
Gobustan preserve is widely known with its rock
engravings, monuments of primitive culture not only in our republic but
also on the world scale. These monuments are ancient drawings, cupules
for preparing fluid diet and gathering of rain water, two-sided hollows
for tying-up animals, signs, tamgas, ancient inscriptions and so on.
Revealed and registered on more than a thousand rocks and stones these
monuments were created by an ancient man and are the reflection of his
agricultural and intellectual activity.
Petroglyphs of Gobustan
are artistic chronicles of the past. They bear a great importance both
for the study of the pre-history of humanity and for the study of lots
of spheres of primitive art: graphics, music, dances, the art of stone
processing, etc.
Gobustan monuments cover the period of
approximately 20 thousand years beginning since the end of Upper
Paleolith till the beginning of our era.
