Studies of the Amur-Ussuri Province of Rock Art
Rock arts study represents research of ancient pictures or petroglyphs centering around life and beliefs of our ancestors. At the same time, this is a very complicated process of rescue and recovery of a great part of Russian cultural heritage. Stories or myths carved and drawn on a stone are permanently exposed to a negative impact of natural or anthropogenic factors. In fact, they erode and peel off, as well as they are overgrown with lichens and destroyed by tourists. Recording of these landmarks is a timeconsuming important process intended to preserve the heritage for future generations. The article is focused on results of projects related to recording and studying of petroglyphs of the Far East falling into the Amur-Ussuri Province of rock art. Although locations of petroglyphs were found in the 19th century and they were introduced into scientific use in 1935, they still have a great research potential. Over the last 15 years, activities related to projects supported by the Russian Foundation for Humanities and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and intended for resolution of fundamental issues of study of the most ancient human figurative activity were performed on landmarks of the Amur and Ussuri.