Rock art in the stone age of Gobustan: an archaeologist’s view

Gobustan's rock art, spanning from the Upper Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages, reveals distinct stylistic developments tied to specific Stone Age periods. The study identifies four petroglyph styles, with Style 1 dating back to at least 25–24 thousand years ago (kya) in the first half of the Upper Palaeolithic. Style 2 aligns with Mesolithic sites, while Styles 3a and 3b are provisionally linked to Neolithic and Chalcolithic phases. The research systematizes petroglyphs by type, technique, and theme, offering a chronological framework for Gobustan's artistic evolution. This approach combines stylistic analysis with relative dating, providing insights into the cultural and temporal layers of one of the world's significant archaeological landscapes.

Amirkhanov, H. A. (2024). Rock art in the stone age of Gobustan: an archaeologist’s view. Rossijskaâ Arheologiâ, (2), 5–19. https://doi.org/10.31857/s0869606324020013