Gobustan

The ancient petrography of Gobustan offers a glimpse into the past. Discovered in the 1930s by excavation in a stone quarry, these drawings are proof that Azerbaijan was one of the cradles of civilization. The most ancient of these petrographs have been identified as belonging to the 12-2th millennium B.C. There are approximately 6000 drawings on 1000 rocks. These drawings depict stick figures showing people dancing and hunting as well as images of goats, cattle and deer.
There is also an inscription left by soldiers of the 12th Roman legion during their stay in the region the 1th century A.C.

In 1966 Gobustan was set aside as a national historical landmark in order to preserve the paintings. Definitely worth a journey! Near Gobustan is an area where warm mud bubbles up through the earth in a landscape reminiscent of the moon. Where huge honeycombed rocks litter the arid terrain. At midday in summer the heat is extreme and in winter it is cold with high winds whistling through the rocks and the barren land. This is the same mud that is marketed as Fango and is used for beauty and medicinal purposes in health spas throughout the world. Smooth and warm - a perfect natural product.