Ustyurt Plateau: location, description. Ustyurt plateau: nuclear test site and paradise for ufologists Ustyurt near the Aral Sea 5 letters

23.08.2023

18 January 2014, 19:49

In Central Asia, on the territory of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, between the Mangyshlak peninsula in the west, the remnants of the Aral Sea and the Amu Darya delta in the east, lies the giant Ustyurt table plateau.

Currently, the plateau rises 180-300 meters above the plain. In some places it breaks off to the surrounding plain with steep, steep, inaccessible ledges - ledges, up to 350 m high. In the southwest, the Ustyurt Plateau consists of separate ridges, reminiscent of small mountain ranges. This part of the plateau is called Bozzhira, it is the highest and most beautiful.

The place amazes with its unearthly landscapes. But, not inferior in beauty to Monument Valley in the USA, Bozzhira is undeservedly deprived of the attention of mass tourists.

The main landscape of the plateau is a desert with almost no vegetation or water, although the following giant plants are also found:

The groundwater found in these deposits is salty and undrinkable. There are harsh winters (up to -40 degrees) and scorching heat that dries out all living things in the summer.

From the point of view of geology and history of origin, the Ustyurt plateau is the bottom of the ancient Tethys Ocean, which, gradually shrinking, existed in this place for more than fifty million years. Less than two million years ago, the connection between the Black and Caspian Seas was finally interrupted, and the process of drying out of the huge inland sea, which included the modern Caspian and Aral Seas, and the adjacent lowlands, began.

Due to its climatic conditions, complete lack of water and remoteness from modern routes, Ustyurt has even now been studied much less well than the famous Karakum Desert. But the main mystery of Ustyurt is not in geology or geography. She's in his story. Its huge territory of about 200,000 square kilometers, until the 80s of the last century, was a kind of archaeological reserve, a complete “blank spot”.

Geoglyphs-arrows on the Ustyurt plateau

In the 1980s, a topographic map of the plateau was surveyed. This was done using modern methods - using photogrammetry materials, for which aerial photography of the entire plateau was ordered. And so, while studying one of the regions of Ustyurt, cartographers discovered some strange lines in the photographs, apparently of artificial origin. The lines formed into arrow-shaped signs of enormous length (800-900 m), directed with their “points” to the north. The tips of these “arrows” have round holes in the corners of the lines, and the arrow itself is formed by stone shafts dilapidated over time. The height of the shafts is now a little less than a meter, but judging by the debris around, it used to be much greater. Most of all, the diagram of the “arrow-shaped layouts of Ustyurt” resembles a giant military map, on which the direction of military strikes is indicated with bold arrows.

The cyclopean system of “arrows” was traced over more than 100 km. In its scale, it surpasses the much more famous system of lines and patterns in the Peruvian Nazca desert - the only archaeological phenomenon comparable in scale. Just like in Nazca, the “arrows” cannot be seen from a human height. There are no significant elevations on the table-flat surface of the plateau.

What were these arrows created for? There are not so many hypotheses - only two. The Ustyurt plateau is a rocky hill. There are no trees, open reservoirs or rivers on the plateau. In summer there is no rain, and the total amount of precipitation together with snow is up to 150 mm per year. The grasses dry out, and the steppe becomes yellow-gray, and lush green grass grows along the arrows, which means that even now more moisture accumulates there. This led scientists to believe that the arrows were ancient water supply structures.

This is what an arrow looks like on the ground

Moats with ramparts on the outer side retained the flow of water from the entire internal territory and directed it into the arrow-shaped triangles of reservoirs located below. Ring-shaped depressions in the corners of the triangles (formerly deep pits) served as reservoirs for water.

But another archaeologist, Lev Leonidovich Galkin, head of the Volga-Ural expedition, believes that the arrows are ancient cattle pens. But scientists have not come to a consensus about the purpose of the Ustyurt arrows.

In the area of the arrows (even before they were discovered), a whole complex of archaeological monuments was found - mounds, burials, religious buildings. The latest ones date back to the 10th-15th centuries, but the majority are undoubtedly much older.

Ancient necropolis In a cave

Ancient runic writings on the rocks

To date, more than a thousand architectural monuments have been discovered on the Mangyshlak Peninsula and the Ustyurt Plateau: underground and above-ground temples, huge cities of the dead - necropolises. In different parts of the peninsula, underground rooms carved directly into solid rocks have been discovered.

Stone giants of the Ustyurt plateau

A sensation in 1983 - in the west of the Ustyurt plateau, in the area of the Beite wells, ancient stone sculptures of an unknown civilization were discovered. This complex of sculptures turned out to be completely unique - nothing like this had ever been seen in the steppes of Eurasia.

Over the centuries, traces of many civilizations have been preserved on the Ustyurt plateau; the Great Silk Road, the ancient caravan route - the road of the Khorezm Shahs, which connected the ancient city of Khiva with the lower reaches of the Volga, passed along it; it was affected by the great migration of peoples. Many ancient cemeteries with mausoleums, minarets and underground temples are scattered across the plateau, 60 sites of primitive man of the Neolithic period have been discovered, the ruins of the ancient cities of Shahir-i-Wazir and the Alan fortress and the remains of even more ancient settlements of unknown civilizations have been preserved. But the civilization discovered in 1983 had nothing to do with all this.

In 1983, on the Ustyurt plateau, geologists V. Gusev and E. Farakhov, approximately 50 km from the village of Say-Utes in the area of the Beite wells, discovered about 70 statues of male warriors in a small area. The very next year, the Volga-Ural archaeological expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences went there.

Here is what the head of the expedition, Lev Leonidovich Galkin, wrote about the discovery on the Ustyurt plateau: “Near two high mounds in a relatively small area lay many broken stone sculptures. Some of the debris was so massive that it was impossible for one person to move it. The statues were different - some reached almost four meters in height, others - a little more than two meters, and the smallest - about a meter. There were stone heads, broad-shouldered male torsos with narrow waists, and half-processed limestone slabs scattered here. Large and medium-sized sculptures predominated. Despite the fact that they were once thrown to the ground and broken, it was obvious that the statues stood in a certain order - in the form of the letter “P”. This gallery must have been an impressive sight in the rays of the sun. There, towards the sunset, towards the “land of the dead” their faces were turned..."

Head of a warrior from the sanctuary. Photo by L. Galkin and A. Glazunov, “Around the World” magazine, 1990.

At a distance of up to 1 km from Beite-1, the Beite-2 complex is located, but not a single sculpture was found there, but not far from it a quarry was discovered in which white-pink limestone was mined, which served as material for making sculptures.

To the southeast of Beite 2, approximately 4 km away, is a group of mounds of the Beite 3 complex. Its layout resembles that of the Beite-1 complex, but to the west of the central mound, 50 broken statues lay compactly in the shape of the letter “P”, but the mouth of the square was facing northwest. Two stone sacrificial tables were found at the Bayte-3 complex, indicating that these complexes were a sanctuary.

Part of a figure from the sanctuary. Photo by L. Galkin and A. Glazunov, “Around the World” magazine, 1990.

The sanctuaries included from one to five mounds; the main element of the sanctuaries was a round structure made of large stone blocks, which looked like a ring-shaped wall, into which a narrow passage led. In addition to the altars, many memorial structures made of stone were discovered.

Stella with runes on the Ustyurt plateau.

All the statues at the sanctuaries were knocked over and damaged, which was explained by the fear and hatred of the later population of the plateau for the idols of an unknown civilization, but archaeologists still managed to determine their original position - they were located in groups of 2–4 idols approximately two meters from each other, forming stone army up to 4 meters high.

Warrior torso from the Sanctuary of Bailey. Photo by L. Galkin and A. Glazunov, “Around the World” magazine, 1990.

On some of the broken statues, relief images of swords, bows and daggers were clearly visible. Based on the weapons and decorations depicted on the sculptures, scientists believed that these structures belonged to the Massagetae, who lived in the 4th - 3rd centuries BC. e. Archaeologists still don’t really know anything about the Massagetae. It is believed that they were one of the peoples of the Indo-European group.

Herodotus wrote about the nomadic tribes of the Massagetae; his works are the main source of information about them. They were a warlike and powerful people. The Massagetae worshiped the Sun and sacrificed horses to him, dressed like Scythians and led a similar lifestyle. They believed in an afterlife, faith forced them to build sanctuaries of their ancestors and protect them. Perhaps they deified their ancestors and sought their protection, and here the Massagetae have much in common with the Scythians.

Where exactly the lands of the Massagetae were located is now unknown, but they definitely bordered on the countries of Central Asia, which were part of the huge Achaemenid empire. In the 4th century BC. e. The Massaget tribes stopped the eastward advance of the army of the Persian king Cyrus of the Achaemenid dynasty.

When in the 4th century BC. e. Alexander the Great came to the lands of Central Asia, and the warlike tribes of the Massagetae again stood among the most implacable enemies of the new invaders. It is believed that part of the Massagetian and Sarmatian tribes, who did not submit to the invaders, went north, and the other part of the tribes became part of and dissolved in the population of Central Asia.

Where did the stone army go now? The best way to preserve finds is to re-interred them. But will they ever be remembered later...

An attraction that has been so little explored, and therefore remains one of the most mysterious on the territory of Uzbekistan, is a plateau called Ustyurt. You can also find another name - island. It becomes clear why it is called that, as soon as this amazingly large-scale spectacle appears. Huge stone walls, about 300 meters high, rise above the sandy desert. The rocks are a continuous vertical line; to climb to the top you need to find a suitable place, and this is not so easy. There are only a couple of suitable places for this within a few hundred kilometers.

Admittedly, the sight of a soaring stone wall can evoke a feeling of ecstatic horror. The color range of the stone is amazing - from snow-white to shades of pink and blue. This creates a fabulous atmosphere. But once you find yourself at the top, you immediately understand that this is not a fantasy world, where amazing fairy-tale unicorns graze on the silky grass and fairies fly. The landscape that reveals itself is more like a scene from a film about traveling through deserted distant planets. The surface is all covered with cracks and faults.

It is amazing that, despite the enormous size of the plateau, which is 200 thousand square kilometers, there is not a single reservoir or other source of water on its surface. The only way is to extract water from a well, the depth of which must be at least 50 meters. And then, the taste of the water leaves much to be desired, it is bitter and salty. Because of this, the flora in Ustyurt is not very rich; basically, only wormwood and solyanka can be seen here, but they also have the appearance of not lush greenery. But this did not at all affect the habitation of this place by people. The study of this place showed that in the Neolithic era there were about 60 sites of ancient people. Later, the Scythians lived on the plateau, and the Mongols also left their traces. Caravans heading from Asia to Europe passed through Ustyurt. Unfortunately, time mercilessly destroys evidence of past life, and only a few dilapidated ancient monuments remain. This is the arch of the Beliuli caravanserai, which has practically disappeared from the face of the earth, the ruins of an ancient fortress and several other buildings.

Archaeological excavations in Ustyurt began relatively recently, in 1983. The delay in research was due to the difficulty of delivering the team and equipment to the site, as well as difficult weather conditions. The first discovery on the plateau was the Baite Cult Complexes, which include ancient burial mounds and sacrificial tables surrounded by stone sculptures. Similar ensembles have not been found in Asia. Another interesting detail is that it was not typical for nomads to erect such complexes. Who built this place and why is still unknown.

But there is something on the plateau that is considered a mystery on a planetary scale. In 1986, when scientists flew over the area in a helicopter, they were surprised to find drawings on the surface. In appearance, it looked something like arrowheads, which is why the name “arrows” was assigned to them. Being on a plateau, it is impossible to see the drawings; this can only be done from a great height. A similar find, which stirred the minds of scientists, was discovered in Peru in the Nazca desert. Absolutely all images of arrows are turned with their tips to the north, and their length is up to a kilometer. The arrows are made of stone and are about a meter high. Why these strange stone structures were built remains a real mystery, just like similar lines in Peru. Researchers have given several guesses about the purpose of the buildings, including a cattle pen and special buildings for irrigating the soil.

Some experts are inclined to believe that the unsolved mystery of the appearance of cult complexes is associated with unknown “arrows”, and that all this has a mystical origin. No one will directly say that this is so, but it is a fact that inexplicable incidents periodically occur on the plateau. Local residents tell legends about a mysterious glow in the sky and clear mirages that appear both at night and in broad daylight. Sometimes tourists become eyewitnesses to incidents. A certain group of travelers specially come to these places to catch the chance to see the mysterious with their own eyes. But mostly people go to this natural giant to appreciate its grandeur and amazing landscapes.

The Ustyurt Plateau is a huge territory with an area of about 200,000 square kilometers; until the 80s of the last century it was a kind of archaeological reserve, a complete “blank spot” on the map of history. But in 1986, scientists from the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan decided to examine medieval architectural monuments from the air, and discovered something completely mysterious. The territory between the villages of Say-Utes and Beineu was dotted with strange patterns, visible only from the air, which were very reminiscent of similar patterns in the Nazca desert.

The arrows, as scientists called them, stretched in an almost continuous chain from Cape Duan in the Aral Sea deep into the Ustyurt plateau. They differ little from each other in outline and size, and are turned to the north. Each one looks like a bag with the top part pulled inward with a wide passage to which a guide shaft leads. The upper edges of the bag form two arrows with tips in the shape of an elongated triangle, into which a narrow passage leads from the body of the arrow. At the tops of the triangle there are rings with a diameter of 10 m, which were probably once pits. The length of each boom is 800 - 900 meters, and together with the guide shaft it reaches 1500 meters, the width is 400 - 600 meters, the height of the fence reaches 80 cm, but in the past it was much higher.

This entire system of arrow drawings on the Ustyurt plateau can be traced over an area of 100 km, but scientists believe that it is much larger and exceeds in its extent the system of mysterious drawings in the Nazca desert.

All arrows are slightly different from each other - some have straight arrowheads, others have concave arrowheads. In some drawings, the lines of some arrows overlap with the outlines of others. This, according to scientists, is explained by the fact that new ones were erected in place of old structures.

On the ground, the arrow can be identified by a barely noticeable stone ridge, in which traces of the fastening mortar are visible. An earthen ditch was dug from the inside of the bag, the earth from which formed a shaft on which the stone ridge was installed. Along the entire ditch, green grass grows lushly, which is clearly visible against the background of withered grass on the plateau. This green grass makes it easy to identify the outline of the arrow.

What were these arrows created for? There are not so many hypotheses - only two. The Ustyurt plateau is a rocky hill. There are no trees, open reservoirs or rivers on the plateau, but you can get slightly brackish water from deep (up to 60m) wells. In summer there is no rain, and the total amount of precipitation together with snow is up to 150 mm per year. The grasses dry out, and the steppe becomes yellow-gray, and lush green grass grows along the arrows, which means that even now more moisture accumulates there. This led scientists to believe that the arrows were ancient water supply structures.

Archaeologist Vadim Nikolaevich Yagodin (Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan), based on the found fragments of ceramics belonging to the 7th-8th centuries and located in a later cultural layer, assigns this date to the upper limit of the period of construction of the arrows, and how far back the centuries the lower limit goes is unknown.

But another archaeologist, Lev Leonidovich Galkin, head of the Volga-Ural expedition, believes that the arrows are ancient cattle pens. Some corral arrows are lined with flat stones driven into the ground with their narrow ends and the flat plates protruding upward; these are probably the latest corral structures. The nomads called the corrals “arans”. According to Galkin, nomadic tribes began to create arans back in the 14th – 12th centuries BC, that is, in the Bronze Age. The date was established by a stone arrowhead found among the stones of the embankment; there is no other evidence yet.

In the same area there is an area called Kalamkas. It is named after the girl who, according to the legend existing in this area, died during the mouflon drive, falling into a pit along with the animals. The tradition of building arans, according to local residents, lasted until the 19th century, when huge herds of saigas, mouflons (mountain sheep), kulans and wild horses – tarpans – roamed the Ustyurt plateau.

The Ustyurt Plateau is located between the Mangyshlak Peninsula and the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay, the Aral Sea and the Kara-Kum and Kyzyl-Kum deserts. Currently, the plateau rises 180-300 meters above the plain. The edges of the plateau are called cliffs, and you can climb up them only in certain places. The main landscape of the plateau is desert with almost no vegetation or water. The groundwater found in these deposits is salty and undrinkable except in a few known wells. There are harsh winters (up to -40 degrees) and scorching heat that dries out all living things in the summer. And wind. Exhausting wind constantly blowing in different directions.

Once upon a time there was a sea in this place Tethys. On the plateau you can see accumulations of shells, and some layers of the plateau are solid shell rock. Stone balls are also reminiscent of the sea - iron-manganese nodules that once formed on the bottom of the sea and are found at the lower level of the relief. When the surrounding rocks eroded, they appeared on the surface of the plateau. The limestone-chalk slopes of the plateau are a truly fascinating sight, like a fantastic world of another reality.

And ancient people once lived in these places, a culture unknown to us arose, although then, perhaps, the climate was somewhat different. What can be said about the ancient builders of these arrows? A huge complex of mysterious unique religious buildings and huge burial grounds was found in the area of the arrows. ancient nomads, undoubtedly somehow connected with the arrow builders. As a result, a previously unknown ancient nomadic culture of Ustyurt was discovered. Who are these people?

The famous Ustyurt plateau is located in Central Asia and occupies a huge territory of almost 200 thousand square meters. m. Moreover, the borders of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and a small section of Turkmenistan pass through it. Actually, the name “Ustyurt” in the Turkic translation sounds like “plateau”.

A wonderful natural creation

Geologists suggest that at least 20 million years have passed since the appearance of the plateau. However, only at the end of the last century, in the 80s, the scientific world became interested in Ustyurt. Expeditions to the Ustyurt plateau were organized repeatedly. People wanted to collect as much information as possible about this magnificent place.

The neighbors of this giant natural creation are:

on the western side - the Mangyshlak Peninsula and the Kara-Bogaz-Gol Bay (translated as “Black Mouth”);
in the east - the irrevocably drying Aral Sea and the Amu Darya.

Bozzhira

The size of the Ustyurt plateau is impressive; in different places its height ranges from 180 to 300 meters. Sometimes you come across steep 350-meter ledges - ledges that rise above the adjacent plain.

The southwestern part of the plateau called Bozzhira is considered the highest. It consists of rocky ridges, hills (ridges) with almost even outlines. The Bozzhiry area is incredibly beautiful, it can compete with the famous one (USA). The only thing that distinguishes these amazing corners of the planet from each other is the number of tourists. Unfortunately, few of them have heard about the existence of this pearl of Ustyurt. It is worth studying Kazakhstan on a map of mountain ranges to appreciate the scale of this place.

Distant past of the plateau

More than 21 million years ago, the plateau was deep underwater. In that distant era, there were two huge continents on Earth - Laurasia and Gondwana. They were separated by the Tethys Ocean. The disappearance of the ancient sea, which was an integral part of the ocean, occurs in the first half of the Cenozoic. The pace of this process accelerated approximately 2 million years ago, after the Caspian and Black Seas separated.

They find in the limestone of Ustyurt that confirms the hypothesis. In addition, there are a huge number of ferromanganese nodules, which are similar in size and shape to billiard balls. Not everyone will guess that the spherical formations scattered across the entire surface of the plateau were formed under sea conditions. The water gradually eroded the dolomite and limestone rocks, but the ferromanganese nodules emerged stronger and only acquired rounded outlines. I can’t believe that the Ustyurt plateau is located in Kazakhstan. Local residents are proud of this landmark.

Indescribable beauty

The relief with a flat surface is a desert. In some places the soil is dominated by clay, in others there is a clay-rocky surface. In addition, there are areas that are sandy or with small gravel. The desert gives way to cracks or rocks consisting mainly of chalk. You involuntarily feel as if you are on the surface of a lifeless planet or are present on the set of a Hollywood film of the same format. The Ustyurt plateau attracts the attention of many tourists and photographers who photograph landscapes.

The true beauty of the chalk cliffs comes when the sun rises or sets. At these moments, a wonderful sight opens up: the rays usually give reddish tints. At noon they become slightly bluish. If you appreciate natural attractions, then be sure to visit the Ustyurt plateau (Kazakhstan).

Representatives of flora and fauna inhabiting the plateau

Regarding flora and fauna, it is worth noting the following. There is nothing here that could surprise a tourist. Representatives of the plant world such as wormwood and saxaul dominate. In the more favorable spring period, which does not last long, flowers appear and the picture becomes brighter.

The fauna is more diverse. All those species that have adapted to life in steppes and deserts are present. The climatic conditions on the plateau are favorable for reptiles, which are represented by lizards, snakes and turtles. Small rodents (jerboa, gopher, marmot, gerbil), hedgehogs and hares have settled well. This is despite the fact that each of them is potential prey for a wolf, fox or caracal. The cheetah, which is a rare species and therefore protected by law, is doing well. The shy saigas are considered the pride of Ustyurt. Unfortunately, their population is in critical condition. Of the artiodactyls, argali are also found.

On the Chink rocks, vultures and eagles froze in majestic poses, proudly watching everything that was happening below on the plain. There are birds familiar to Europeans - pigeons and sparrows. Snakes inhabit the Ustyurt plateau to a greater extent. Therefore, tourists should exercise caution when walking on rocky terrain.

Another feature of the Ustyurt plateau is the large population of feral horses. Once upon a time, nomadic Kazakhs bred these domestic animals on local farms.

Water and winds

Water on the plateau is considered scarce as natural reservoirs have long disappeared. All rivers and lakes had dried up. Dry riverbeds and salt marshes testify to their existence in ancient times. The winds in Ustyurt have complete freedom, because on the plateau there are no natural barriers in the form of mountains and forests.

This affects the state of karst rocks and leads to soil erosion, which, in turn, leads to a gradual change in the boundaries of the Ustyurt Plateau itself.

Mysteries around the area

During the Middle Ages, Ustyurt was located on the route of caravans that departed from the city of Khorezm, and then moved to settlements on the shores of the Caspian Sea and the lower reaches of the Volga River. In other words, a lot of artifacts passed along it, confirming that trading people visited the plateau very often. These are, for example, the remains of cemeteries and underground temples. Settlements were established, even cities with visiting yards and all the infrastructure. The ruins of one of these cities called Shahr-i-Wazir remained in good condition.

At the end of the 70s of the last century, an airplane flying over the plateau carried out aerial photography. On the surface of the plateau, mysterious images were revealed, something like arrowheads directed to the northeast. The triangular figures are quite impressive in size; their sides reach 100 meters in length. Unknown craftsmen used crushed stone to create giant “arrows” on the ground. Apparently, they contain some kind of sacred meaning. Scientists have not yet given a clear and unambiguous answer to this question.

There are holes dug in the ground near each corner. They may have stored water. In addition to these “arrows,” other figures were later discovered, in particular warriors, pyramids and turtles, which were also made of stone. “Arrows” on the plateau can be safely classified in the same category of historical mysteries as the famous images in

Be sure to visit Ustyurt when arriving in Kazakhstan. The map of the area shows exactly where this natural attraction is located.

The Ustyurt plateau is located in the west of Central Asia, simultaneously in three countries: Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. You can also find another name - Ustyurt Island. It becomes clear why it is called that, as soon as this amazingly large-scale spectacle appears. Huge stone walls, about 300 meters high, rise above the sandy desert. The rocks are a continuous vertical line; to climb to the top you need to find a suitable place, and this is not so easy. There are only a couple of suitable places for this within a few hundred kilometers.