KYRGYZSTAN- 2021 Saimaluu Tash Petroglyphs - Miniature Sheet

Saimaluu Tash is the largest accumulation of petroglyphs in Central Asia and one of the largest in the world. It is located on the eastern slope of the Fergana Range in the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan. The Saimaluu Tash State Nature Park (32,050 hectares) was established there in 2001.

"Saimaluu Tash" translated from Kyrgyz means "patterned stone", which perfectly describes this magnificent place. This location holds more than 90,000 drawings, relating to different historical periods. The oldest images from the Saimaluu Tash stones date back to the 3rd and 1st millennia BC, and the most recent ones date back to the 8th century AD. The subjects of the drawings are very broad and reflect religious beliefs and views of the world of ancient people. There are images of deities, wild and domestic animals, birds and people, as well as many other images.

Saimaluu Tash drawings have become one of the symbols of Kyrgyzstan. Patterns and motifs of petroglyphs are present in the design of the World Nomad Games and also are widely used in souvenir products.