Pysany Kamin

The Ukrainian studies expedition study of the rock monuments of the Hutsul region of Ukraine is dedicated to the Pysany Kamin mountain (1221 m above sea level), on the top of which rises the rock of the same name, consisting of two huge stone blocks of sandstone (up to 80 m long, width up to 10 m and height up to 20 m) and several other large stones. Mount Pysany Kamin is located on the Bukovets ridge in the Pokut Carpathians. Villages of the Verkhovyna and Kosiv districts of the Ivano-Frankivsk region are located around the mountain and rock Pysany Kamin: Bukovets, Cheretiv, Yavoriv, Pasichna, Verkhniy Yaseniv, Rivnya, Ustyeriki, Barvinkovo, Khorotsevo, Biloberezka, and Velykiy Rozhyn. Near the Written Stone there is also an underground water spring-greenhouse, the water of which the Hutsuls consider healing.

Mysterious hemispherical bowl-pits and petroglyphs engraved in very ancient times and a large number of various inscriptions made by numerous tourists over the past two centuries have been preserved on the rock of Pysany Kamin. Most researchers believe that schematic images of human figures with hands raised above the head can be attributed to the VIII-IX centuries. At that time, the Written Stone was probably a place of pagan rites. Unfortunately, in many places of the Written Stone, new modern inscriptions and images have been made on ancient engraved sacred signs. In this way, Unwitting tourists who, with the help of modern electro technical tools, «immortalize» their names with «deep scars» on the glorious Written Stone have permanently damaged many ancient petroglyphs.