Sarmish Gorge cuts into the Karatau range of the Nurata mountains, dropping about 200 m below the surrounding plateau. Its dark schist rock faces preserve carvings and paintings by every culture that passed through Uzbekistan since the Neolithic.
Documented images (over 4,000 individual figures): - Neolithic (7000 BCE) — mountain goats, ibex, hunters with bows. - Bronze Age (2000–1000 BCE) — chariots, oxen with humps, sun symbols. - Scythian (500 BCE) — mounted warriors, animal-style predator scenes. - Turkic (7th–9th c. CE) — runic script, mounted archers, camels. - Islamic period — Arabic inscriptions and later graffiti.
A short walking trail (~2 km one way) leads to the highest concentration of images. Bring water and sun protection; there is no shade in the gorge except at the far end.
About 30 km northeast of Navoi city, or 90 minutes from Bukhara. Best combined with a Nurata / Aydarkul trip. Local archaeologists recommend a guide (available in Navoi) since many carvings are subtle and easy to miss.
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