Researchers Azmiddin Kholmatov and Alisher Yorkulov, under the guidance of Ilkhom Kurbonboev, a lecturer in the Department of Archeology of Samarkand State University, are conducting archaeological research around the villages of Jom, Beshbarmok and Chonkaymish, located on the northern slopes of the Karatepa Range of the Middle Zarafshan oasis. As a result of the research, a number of new rock paintings from such places as Kazantashsoy, Otkamarsoy, Botabobosoy, Oshishaning zovi, Darvozatosh were identified and mapped.

      These cave paintings are made by ancient artists using gravure printing technique, and they mainly depict people, mountain goats, archarids and other wild animals. They provide important information about the daily lifestyle, socio-economic and religious life of our ancient ancestors. The results of preliminary studies have shown that these paintings belong to the Early Iron Age, Antiquity, the Early Middle Ages and later historical periods of the historical development of mankind.

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