Sarmishsay petroglyphs

North-east of Navoi, the low Karatau hills rise from the steppe. A seasonal stream has cut a narrow, winding gorge through them: Sarmishsay. Its walls of dark rock, polished by time to a deep brown "desert varnish", are covered with carved images. Archaeologists have counted more than 4,000 petroglyphs here, and some estimates are much higher, making it one of the richest rock art sites in Uzbekistan.

The gorge is about 10 km long, and carvings appear on rocks along much of its length, often in clusters on flat surfaces facing the valley.

The carvings were made over a very long period, from roughly the Mesolithic and Neolithic (Middle and New Stone Age) through the Bronze Age and the Iron Age to the Middle Ages. The oldest are thought to be several thousand years old. They were made by pecking or scratching the dark surface of the rock with harder stones or metal tools, revealing the lighter stone beneath.

Dating rock art is difficult, and the dates are approximate, based on style, subject and comparison with other sites in Central Asia.

The most famous images are of wild bulls (aurochs), large and powerful, with long horns, which are among the oldest carvings. Many show mountain goats (ibex), deer, wild boar, wolves, leopards, camels and horses. There are scenes of hunting, with archers and dogs, and of riders, which date from later periods when horses were domesticated.

Some figures are mysterious: humans with strange headdresses or masks, sun-like symbols, and figures that may represent spirits or shamans. Later carvings include warriors and even inscriptions. Together they form a record of how the people of the region lived, hunted and imagined their world over thousands of years.

The gorge and the surrounding hills also contain burial mounds (kurgans), ancient settlements, and traces of mines and workshops. People were drawn here by water, game and stone. Archaeologists continue to study the area, and new carvings are still found. The site is protected as a monument of national importance, but its remoteness makes it vulnerable to vandalism and erosion.

Location: about 40 km north-east of Navoi, roughly an hour by car, the last part on a rough road. From Samarkand, the drive takes about 2.5–3 hours; from Bukhara, about 2.5 hours.

Tickets: there may be a small fee; a small visitor centre or museum has operated near the entrance at times.

Time needed: 2–3 hours, including a walk along the gorge.

Walking: the path follows the stream bed and requires walking on stony ground, with some scrambling to see carvings up close. Good shoes are essential.

Tips: go in the morning or late afternoon, when the low sun makes the carvings easier to see. Bring water, sun protection and a hat; there is little shade and no shops. In spring, the stream may have water. A local guide is very helpful to find the best carvings.

Respect the site: never touch, chalk, wet or scratch the carvings. They are fragile and irreplaceable.

Sarmishsay fits well into a day between Samarkand and Bukhara. Combine it with the Rabati Malik caravanserai and its cistern on the main road, or continue north to Nurata and its holy spring, then spend the night in a yurt camp near Lake Aydarkul. We arrange cars with drivers and guides for this route.