Abstract
Archaeological study of the Dauylbai Ridge on the territory of Karatal district of Zhetysu region in 2022–2024 revealed the structure of the archaeological landscape of this region. According to the results of exploration, 315 historical and cultural monuments were discovered, among which 75 clusters of rock paintings, more than 40 settlements and sites and about 200 burial complexes from the Bronze Age to the New Age were noted. The main object of study were rock paintings not only in the Ordakul complex in the central part of the range, but also in the intra-mountain valleys of Taldy, Kokdala and Sarykolsai. It was revealed that the ancient clusters of petroglyphs perform a certain function in the organization of the cultural landscape by the ancient population, have a number of certain characteristics in connection with what allowed on a methodical basis with the topolandscape situation and characteristics of clusters of drawings to typify complexes of petroglyphs as sanctuaries at settlements or burial grounds, as well as on cattle routes of ancient and medieval cattle breeders. Some of the images in the form of tamgas, Lamias and Arabic inscriptions are important historical evidences of residence of some ancient Turkic tribes, Kazakh and Dzungarian clans and tribes. The maximum concentration of petroglyphs of the Dauylbai Ridge in the area of the Ordakul tract allows us to consider it central in the system of sacral monuments of the microdistrict.