State Historical, Cultural and Nature Reserve Museum “Tanbaly”

The history of the organization of infrastructure around the heritage of Tanbala, its protection, preservation, management, dictated by the need to take care of even any fragment and individual monument, which also has the fullness and uniqueness of a monument of historical and cultural heritage, the creation of a museum-reserve has its own long history. For decades, the study and documentation of petroglyphs and other monuments, the geology of the tract, the addition of an excursion trail and materials for an excursion route, its landscaping, the first attempts at conservation of petroglyphs, etc. were carried out. 

This activity attracted the attention of the international community, interaction with which helped to realize and formulate the universal significance of this monument for all mankind: In 1999 The UNESCO World Heritage Center has included Tanbali in the Tentative List of World Heritage Sites. In October 2001, by a special decree of the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the monument was included in the State List of Historical and Cultural Monuments of National Significance under the name "Tanbaly Complex". An agreement was signed between UNESCO and the Government of Kazakhstan on the implementation of the UNESCO-Norwegian-Kazakh project "Management, Conservation and presentation of the Tanbala Rock Art Monument" on 12/19/2003. In June-July 2004, based on the previously submitted dossier of the monument and the Master Management Plan for Tanbala, the nomination was discussed at the 28th session of the World Heritage Committee, which decided to include Tanbala in the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 2003, the functions of heritage management, control over the execution of works by various specialists were assumed by the manager of cultural and natural Heritage "State Historical, Cultural and Natural Reserve-Museum "Tanbaly", the territory of the reserve is 3,800 hectares. Cultural landscape management is a relatively new type of museum activity for Kazakhstan. Based on the developments of the World Heritage Center, the management activity is based on the principle of authenticity of the object, literally: the sincerity and authenticity of any fact of reality related to individual memory or public cultural heritage. In the context of cultural planning and the development of amenities on sightseeing routes, authenticity is directly related to the cultural identity of the place, or cultural landscape.

The management and preservation of the unique monument, which is a very significant archaeological complex of Tanbali, the special importance of which was confirmed by its inclusion in the World Heritage List, is carried out by the historical, cultural and natural reserve-museum "Tanbali". "The modern Museum-Reserve is a cultural institution created to ensure the preservation, restoration, study and public presentation of integral territorial complexes of cultural and natural heritage of material and spiritual values in their traditional historical (cultural and natural) environment." UNESCO nomination: The "Petroglyphs of the archaeological landscape of Tanbala" clearly emphasize the importance of the cultural landscape of this area for all mankind. The activities of the reserve-museum are multifaceted. One of the main problems faced by any reserve-museum and, in particular, a World Heritage Site today is the complexity of the tasks that it must perform in relation to modern society: preserving the integrity and pristine nature of heritage sites, as well as ensuring access for the general public: so that the public realizes the true value of these objects, and there is extensive knowledge sharing. The complex of archaeological sites, or the cultural landscape of Tanbala, has a complex structure, including numerous and multi-temporal burial grounds, altars, quarries and, of course, rock carvings, the main clusters of which mark multi-temporal sanctuaries. Petroglyphs were carved on rocks covered with black patina, starting from the Bronze Age (the middle of the II millennium BC), were continued in the Early Iron Age (I thousand BC), as well as in the Middle Ages (VII - XII centuries AD) and the later Middle Ages (in the ethnographic period). Many ancient drawings were updated and supplemented in subsequent periods.  Thus, the Tamgaly complex includes a natural and cultural landscape, which includes the entire set of monuments of historical, cultural and natural heritage. The museum staff organizes various excursions not only to the unique sanctuary, but also to nearby complexes, and has developed excursion routes to remote groups of petroglyphs, among which priority is given to medieval Turkic petroglyphs.