Gobustan State Historical-Artistic Reserve has been functioning since(+ 1966. The reserve is located 56 km from Baku and covers the area of mountains Boyuk Dash, Kichikdash, Yazili Tepe in Djingirdagh, Shongar and Shikhgaya. Gobustan State Historical-Artistic Reserve is an open-air museum. The reserve studies, records and protects Gobustan rock carvings.

Gobustan rock carvings were discovered in 1939 at the foot of the mountain Djingirdagh and on the top of Yazili Tepe. Azerbaijani archeologist Ishag Jafarzade first discovered these rock paintings. Today more than 6000 carvings and signs have been registered on more than 1000 rocks and stones. They differ from each other by variety of their subject-matters.

Mainly among the carvings of Gobustan the pictures of ancient men and women carved in full face and profile as a reverse bas-relief are of peculiar importance. Gobustan rock carvings consist of the pictures of all the animals that once lived in this area – bulls, goats, deer, gazelles, swine, horses, lions, wolves, dogs and etc. Among the carvings also pictures of fish, snake, lizard and insects were recorded.

Pictures of animals are mainly carved with contour lines. Gobustan rock carvings are rich not only by variety of subject-matters, but also for their compositions. One can see here the scenes of collective labor, hunting, dance, harvesting, battle, rituals and etc. Gobustan rock carvings cover the period from 40 thousand BC till the Middle Ages.

Besides rock carvings, there are also epigraphic inscriptions in Gobustan. Arabian and Persian inscriptions, as well as the Roman inscription written by XII legion of the Roman Empire dating back to I century AD were found here. Since 60s of XX century archeological excavations have been carried out here.

As a result of the excavations, 20 ancient dwelling sites and caves, about 40 barrows dating back to Bronze Age were discovered here. More than 105 thousand different archeological materials are being kept in the fund of Gobustan reserve. Labor and hunting tools, home things and etc. of Stone Age are made of river stone, silicon and bone. During the excavations carried out in “Firuz” settlement, 11 human skeletons were found. Gobustan State Historical and Artistic Reserve has been included in the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List since 2007.