The most fascinating aspect of Mongolia is its rock paintings, and I had ample opportunity to explore them at Tavanbogd National Park. These paintings, which include the Shiveet Kharkhan rock paintings, date back to more than five thousand years and provide insight into the art of that era. The rock paintings, etched on dark brown rock, depict horses, oxen, tigers, sheep, and camels. They depict hunting scenes, and I also saw a rock painting of a snow leopard.
Rocking
The Shiveet Kharkhan rock paintings are in the Ulgii Province. This beautiful province is surrounded by high-altitude mountains with snow-capped peaks. I covered the entire area on horseback and even managed to take a dip in one of the fast-flowing rivers. Due to the extreme cold, some of the rivers were also frozen, making it easy for me to walk over the riverbed as the water was completely frozen.
These paintings were created and etched on slate rocks by nomadic sheep herders and ancient Mongolian hunters. Most of the region is nomadic, where local sheep herders live in gers. They also keep yaks and live off nature. To generate heat and keep themselves warm, they burn yak dung. They freeze yak milk as curd, and I was served this delicacy when I stayed with one of the nomadic families in Ulgii Province. I stayed in a ger for over four days and got the real feel of the Mongolian nomadic life.
