Rock art in “The Land of Fire” (Azerbaijan): Discovering the Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (UNESCO World Heritage List)

In 2003 I was requested by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre to lead a mission in the Republic of Azerbaijan with the aim of preparing a management plan for the Gobustan rock art area that the state of Azerbaijan wished to nominate to the World Heritage List. This project enabled me to learn about the beautiful and important rock art of Gobustan, today recognized with the name Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape, one of the few rock art areas on the World Heritage List. The rock art spans from the Upper Paleolithic period to the end of Middle Ages with even a few engravings belonging to the Modern Era.