The Enigmatic World of Ancient Graffiti. Rock Art in Chukotka, The Chaunskaya Region, Russia

Dr Margarita Kiry’ak is one of the foremost archaeologists of far Northeast Asia (Chukotka). She has been conducting archaeological research in Chukotka for more than 30 years, during which time she has published four books in Russia, Great Britain, and the U.S., and 115 scholarly articles in Russia, the U.S., Italy, and Korea. Dr. Kir’yak says of the present book: ‘The monograph is devoted to small forms of engraving on stone. It summarizes the archaeological material obtained during the course of excavations at the Rauchuvagytgyn I site (dated to 2500 years ago) in northern Chukotka. The book analyzes the content and semantics of the pictorial resources, and ethnic identification is made. The interpretive part of the study raises issues of an ideological character and brings one closer to the inaccessible realm of ideas and concepts of the ancients.’ This well-illustrated book is directed primarily toward archaeologists, ethnographers, historians, and fine art experts but will also be of interest to a broad range of readers.