Tamgaly, Archaeological site in Almaty region, Kazakhstan

Tamgaly is a petroglyph complex in the Chu-Ili Mountains of Almaty Region, Kazakhstan, about 120 km northwest of Almaty. Its main gallery is a flat-faced dark grey-brown rock outcropping covered in pecked figures of long-horned and antlered animals, including deer and a large bull or deer with a curved line arcing over its back. The site holds around 5,000 images across 3,800 hectares.

The oldest carvings at Tamgaly go back to the middle Bronze Age, roughly 3,000 to 4,000 years ago, and were added to over many centuries with Iron Age images carved by later groups. The site was found in 1957 by archaeologist A.G. Maksimova, which led to its formal protection.

The rock panels show sun gods, warriors in ritual poses, and hunting scenes that give a direct sense of how Bronze Age people saw the world around them. Many of the carvings are at eye level, so visitors can look at them closely without any barrier.

Tamgaly sits about 170 kilometers (around 105 miles) northwest of Almaty and is most conveniently reached by joining a guided tour from the city. The terrain is uneven and hilly, so sturdy shoes and clothing suited to changing weather are a good idea.

Tamgaly's name means "painted" or "marked place" in Kazakh, and the valley also carries inscriptions in three scripts: Old Turkic runes from the 9th–10th centuries, Oirat writing from the late 17th to mid-18th century, and 19th-century Kazakh writing. These were pecked beside the older animal figures, so a single panel can hold several scripts.