PETROGLYPHS AT KHAR TOLGOI (BLACK HEAD) IN THE  GOBI DESERT OF MONGOLIA: ANALYSIS OF IMAGES AND  CHRONOLOGY

Józef Szykulski; Mirosław Masojć; Byambaa  Gunchinsuren; Przemysław Bobrowski; Bazargur  Dashzeveg; Maciej Jórdeczka; Grzegorz Michalec; Patryk Muntowski; Enkhtaivan Namjilmaa; Davaakhuu Odsuren; Rafał Sikora; Marcin Szmit

doi:10.69978/1zj8k890

Rock Art Research

Vol. 43 No. 1 (2026)
Published : 2026-01-04

PETROGLYPHS AT KHAR TOLGOI (BLACK HEAD) IN THE GOBI DESERT OF MONGOLIA: ANALYSIS OF IMAGES AND CHRONOLOGY

Józef Szykulski ⁽¹⁾, Mirosław Masojć ⁽²⁾, Byambaa Gunchinsuren ⁽³⁾, Przemysław Bobrowski ⁽⁴⁾, Bazargur Dashzeveg ⁽⁵⁾, Maciej Jórdeczka ⁽⁶⁾, Grzegorz Michalec ⁽⁷⁾, Patryk Muntowski ⁽⁸⁾, Enkhtaivan Namjilmaa ⁽⁹⁾, Davaakhuu Odsuren ⁽¹⁰⁾, Rafał Sikora ⁽¹¹⁾, Marcin Szmit ⁽¹²⁾,

(1) Institute of Archaeology, University of Wrocław, Poland

(2) Institute of Archaeology, University of Wrocław, Poland

(3) Institute of Archaeology, Mongolian Academy of Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

(4) Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Branch Poznań, Poland

(5) Institute of Archaeology, Mongolian Academy of Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

(6) Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Branch Poznań, Poland

(7) Institute of Archaeology, University of Wrocław, Poland

(8) Scientia et Arte Foundation, Gdańsk, Poland

(9) Mongolian National University of Education, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

(10) Institute of Archaeology, Mongolian Academy of Science, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, Mongolian National University of Education, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

(11) Polish Geological Institute - National Research Institute, Kraków, Poland

(12) Gdańsk Archaeological Museum, Poland

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Abstract

The article discusses the issue of petroglyphs of the Khar Tolgoi (Хар Tолгой) mountain, an extensive archaeological site located in the border zone between the Gobi Desert and the Gobi Altai in south-central Mongolia. They are compared with other examples of rock art from the region; the state of preservation of the petroglyphs and their form are discussed, and the results of the analyses of the rock art are presented. The stone structures present in the area of the mountain of Khar Tolgoi and at other sites in the region are also analysed with the aim of determining their chronology and possible connections with the petroglyphs. The stylistic examination of the petroglyphs and the analysis of the engraving techniques resulted in defining stylistic conventions of the engraved images and proposing the timeline of their appearance. The relative chronology was made more precise on the basis of the analysis of the patina covering the petroglyphs.

Rock Art Research

PETROGLYPHS AT KHAR TOLGOI (BLACK HEAD) IN THE GOBI DESERT OF MONGOLIA: ANALYSIS OF IMAGES AND CHRONOLOGY

Abstract

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