Shaman Rock

Shaman Rock is a rocky outcrop 10–15 meters high on the slope of Golubinka Mountain in the Zaigrayevsky District of Buryatia, in the Strashnaya Pad tract between the villages of Novaya Bryan and Staraya Bryan, about 80 km from Ulan-Ude. The rock is also known as Varvarina Gora, after the nearby archaeological complex. It is made of coarse-grained pink granite and is venerated as a sacred place of worship.

Legends and beliefs

The mountain got its name from a legend about a shaman who settled here as a hermit after being expelled by Old Believers. It is believed that the shaman's spirit still lives on the mountain and helps people with pure intentions.

There is a three-meter crevice in the rock body called the Mother's Womb (also referred to in some sources as the Mother's Bosom): according to belief, it gives women strength. At the foot of the rock lies a boulder called the Stone of Sins — it is believed that anyone who passes through the stone crevice without touching the boulder with their hands is freed from their sins.

A lone tree grows on the very top of the rock, called the shaman's tree of life.

Worship today

The mountain remains a place of pilgrimage and worship. An ovoo (a sacred cairn) stands next to the site, and the branches of the surrounding trees are tied with khadags (ceremonial scarves). Not far from the petroglyphs there is a hollow that seeps "stone oil," used for healing purposes; a wooden walkway-ladder leads to the spring.

History and archaeology

In 1976, rock carvings — Bronze Age petroglyphs — were discovered on the rock: images of birds, human figures, as well as groups of dots and lines. They belong to the Selenga group of Trans-Baikal petroglyphs and have the status of a recognized archaeological heritage site.

Shaman Rock stands next to the Varvarina Gora archaeological complex, which includes an ancient settlement and a burial ground. In 1964, traces of ancient human presence 35,000–40,000 years old were found here — one of the earliest documented sites of human habitation in the region.

Getting there

Shaman Rock is about 80 km from Ulan-Ude: the road runs through the villages of Novaya Bryan and Staraya Bryan. After Staraya Bryan the road becomes gravel; the landmark is a sign at the 36th kilometer, and the rock itself stands about 200 meters from the road.