A Russian Video Game Takes Players on a Journey to Bronze Age Rock Art
Seven Marvels, One Virtual Expedition
The Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has launched Russia’s first computer game focused on locating Siberian petroglyphs. Players embark on a virtual expedition across archaeological landmarks in the Tom River basin, Khakassia and the Altai Mountains.
The game features seven locations that correspond to real-world petroglyph sites, including the Tomskaya, Sulek, Boyarskaya and Novoromanovskaya rock art complexes, as well as Kalbak-Tash and the Elangash River Valley. Players search rock surfaces for imagery created across eras ranging from the Bronze Age to relatively recent historic periods. Common motifs include depictions of animals, shamans and mythological scenes that reveal how ancient communities saw their world.
The game is based on previously developed 3D tours of archaeological sites in Southern Siberia. Each of those tours is also available separately. The most iconic site, Tomskaya Pisanitsa, lies near Kemerovo and is a well-known regional tourist destination. A museum-reserve was established there decades ago to protect the fragile rock art. The video game became the final stage of the larger project “Stories in Stone: Virtual Journeys with Ancient Artists”, which also produced 3D tours, video lectures by archaeologists and curated material about prehistoric caves once inhabited by humans.
Cultural Curiosity Meets Interactive Design
The petroglyph-hunting game serves not only as entertainment, but as a way to meaningfully introduce players to the daily life, spiritual practices and worldview of ancient Siberian communities.
The developers wanted a fresh, contemporary format that could attract young audiences, and a computer game turned out to be the optimal medium: players are immersed directly into a cultural environment that they can explore at their own pace.
This is not the first Russian attempt to use gamification to boost interest in history and cultural heritage. Madness Studio, with support from the Presidential Fund for Cultural Initiatives, is developing the folklore-based game Neurobayun. Its rising popularity reflects renewed global interest in Russian cultural motifs.
But the petroglyph-focused project stands apart for its historical fidelity: players search for actual archaeological masterpieces and follow routes that mirror real expeditions. Modern digital technologies make remote and physically challenging cultural sites accessible to a global audience, eliminating geographic barriers.
Archaeology in the Digital Age
Around the world, advanced technologies are increasingly used to restore lost heritage sites and offer virtual access to them. In China, for example, specialists created a VR reconstruction of the Mogao Grottoes to give the public an engaging way to experience the art of Dunhuang.
Russia’s 3D tours and the new game are a strong example of how IT can be applied to popularize archaeology and historical science. The same approach can be scaled to other territories, making remote prehistoric sites globally discoverable. Russia has many archaeological complexes that could become internationally known through their own virtual reconstructions or dedicated mobile apps.
Digital tools give Russian research institutes new instruments not only for education but also for conservation, documentation and promotion of cultural heritage. The blend of gamification, education and heritage preservation creates a powerful ecosystem that strengthens cultural awareness internally and enhances Russia’s presence in global cultural diplomacy.
