Mountainous Altai Karakol culture

Throughout history the Altai land where Turkish groups have lived has hosted various archeological cultures. The monuments of the Karakol Culture that contains the first monuments discovered from the Bronze Age other than the Afanasiev Culture have centered upon the mountainous parts of Altai. Karakol Culture which has been dated around the end of 3rd millenium and beginning of 2nd millenium BCE according to the latest findings is represented by grave pits, findings from these structures and cave paintings discovered in 3 different regions. The cave painting findings and the cave painting complexes found in the region are the fundemantal sources for the culture which have very few findings that can enables us to talk about the expansion of the culture. This Bronze Age culture which has gained a special place with its very colorful paintings on the stone boxes placed in the grave pits has close connections with the Okunev Culture which is another Bronze Age culture that has expanded in the Minusink Valley. We believe that the Karakol Culture society which we get information on the material and moral life based on the paintings on the walls of stone boxes, the establishment of the grave pits and the cave paintings is an archeological period culture belonging to the Turkish cultural environment that has contributed to the formation of the Turkish culture. Keywords: Karakol, Okunev, Bronze Age, Mountainous Altai, cave paintings