Characteristics of the Rock Paintings of Paaluu and Ikh Durulj

Abstract

The region of Central Asia, especially the lands of Mongolia today, is rich with parietal art including rock paintings. Research regarding these rock paintings has been carried out to a certain extent from the second half of the 20th century, mainly from the point of view of archeology. In the study of rock paintings in Mongolia, Altai, Baga Oigor, and Tsagaan Gol rock paintings have been widely studied and exhibited on the international stage by international archaeological research teams, which can be considered to be a major contribution to the study of rock paintings of the western region. Additionally, a considerable number of studies were carried out on the rock paintings of the Gobi region of Mongolia, in Gobi-Altai, Bayankhongor, and Umnugobi provinces and a certain number of books and publications have been published. At the intersection of the northern end of the Gobi region and the southern edge of the Khangai mountains, Guchin Us [Lit.Tr: Thirty Waters] soum or subprovince of Ovorkhangai Province is located. The rock paintings sites by the name of Paaluu and Ikh Durulj are located 25 kilometers northwest of the Guchin Us soum center (sub-province seat). They are the main targets of our current research.