Gobustan State Historical and Cultural Reserve

Gobustan is an ancient cultural landscape in Azerbaijan, where rolling plains between the mountains and Caspian Sea preserve traces of human life from remote prehistory. Wild roses, pear trees, and grapevines grow among the rocks and ravines, while foxes and jackals inhabit the area. Gobustan’s greatest treasure is a collection of about 6,000 petroglyphs depicting hunting, dancing, and everyday life. Gaval Dash musical stones produce resonant sounds among the rocks, and remains of megalithic structures recall the mysteries of prehistoric civilizations. The reserve has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2007.

Gobustan contains the old Gara-Atli sanctuary dating from the 12th–13th centuries. Legend tells of a holy elder on a black horse who brought a new faith to the area. Enemies caught his horse in an ancient cemetery and cut off the animal’s head, but the elder escaped among the rocks. When they searched for him, he vanished into the stone labyrinths.