EXPLORING THE CULTURAL HUB SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TANGBALETASI CAVE PAINTINGS FROM ICONOGRAPHIC AND GIS PERSPECTIVES
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Abstract
Rock art, as a vital legacy of early human spiritual culture, holds distinctive value in archaeological and religious studies. The Altay region of Xinjiang, China, preserves a rich corpus of rock art with diverse forms, among which anthropomorphic figures are particularly prominent. This paper focuses on the Tangbaletasi Cave Paintings and employs an integrated approach combining iconographic interpretation with GIS-based spatial analysis. Iconographic analysis reveals the shamanistic features embodied in these anthropomorphic figures and systematically demonstrates the site’s central role in regional shamanistic interactions. The GIS analysis further underscores the significance of the southern foothills of the Altai Mountains in the early religious and cultural networks of Eurasia. The findings not only provide new empirical evidence for understanding the spatial distribution and regional dynamics of shamanistic culture in this area, but also contribute methodological insights into exploring early religious interactions and cultural exchanges across Eurasia.