Rutog Rock Paintings

A Brief Introduction to Rutog Rock Paintings

Rutog Rock Paintings is a cultural relic in the Rutog County of Tibet, mainly located south and east of the Banggong Lake. These rock paintings here are engraved on the rock surface or on the stones with hard stones and other hard things. Some of the linellaes are deep while some are shallow. There are also several colorful paintings. Rock Paintings in Rutog County is rich in contents and themes, including hunting, religious ceremonies, horse archery, depasturing, farming, the sun, the moon, mountains, cows, sheep, donkeys, antelopes, houses as well we figures and so on.

Rutog Rock Paintings Culture

Rutog Rock Paintings is a kind of rock carving culture. In Tibet, the Rutog Rock Paintings is quite typical. There are more than a dozen rock paintings in Rutog County in big scale, large amount and with high artistic values. Rutog Rock Paintings are engraved on the rock surface with sharp tools. These Rock Paintings are quaint in linellaes vivid in designs, simple but distinct in colors and rich in contents and themes.

Contents of the rock paintings mainly are hunting, depasturing, wars, animals, containers and other natural objects. Contents of animals include tigers, deer, sheep, wild boars, dogs, water birds, eagles and so on, while contents of figures include hunters, warriors, and herds etc. Contents of weapons include bows and arrows, crossbows, spears, knives and so forth. And contents of natural objects include the sun, the moon and plants.

The above-mentioned rock paintings are mostly the works of early metal era. These Rutog Rock Paintings authentically and vividly reflect the production and life scenes of the ancient nomadic people in the Banggong Lake area.

Values of Rutog Rock Paintings

Rutog Rock Paintings provides precious materials for studying the history, religion, arts, folk culture of the ancient Tibetan people. On the quaint and simple paintings, Tibetan ancestors recorded their life, economy, social activities, and religious belief, and expressed their understandings of the natural phenomena. The Rutog Rock Paintings is rich in aesthetic values and unique imaginations. In fact, we can say that these Rutog Rock Paintings is actually a historical book recorded on the stones.