In the Zhetysu region, near the city of Taldykorgan, it is planned to build several hydroelectric power stations on the Koksu River, which has caused indignation among environmental activists and local residents. The publication’s correspondent «Italics» came to the site with volunteers to understand the situation.

Activists fear that after the construction of the station, the microclimate in the region will change, it will become wetter and the destruction of rocks with unique images will accelerate. There is also a possibility that many of the unexplored petroglyphs may be flooded due to the rise of the water by the dam.

For archaeologists and ordinary tourists, the region is also of great interest. Scientific volunteers of the public foundation «Petroglyph Hunters», led by Olga Gumirova, organized a visit to the construction site of the facility.

«Jeschiolmes is an extremely special region, of which only virtually half has been studied since 1982. This is one of the largest accumulations of petroglyphs in Eurasia. At the moment, officially 15-17 thousand drawings are listed there. This area, there are also drawings there, but no one saw them, no one examined them», — Olga told reporters.

A hydroelectric power station can block access to artifacts for everyone.

«You see, this is the same region that has been sacred for many millennia. And the preservation of these monuments is important not only for us living now, but also for those who will come after», — added Olga.

Olga also said that further down the slope, at a distance of about 800 meters from the dam, there are clusters of petroglyphs on a nomadic path. On the other side of the river there are a huge number of burial grounds, including Saki ones.

Daniil Devyatkin («Italics»)