Grassland stone men in Xinjiang still vivid after 1,000 years

A stone man in Ili in Xinjiang. [Photo/Chinanews.com]

Eleven stone men with a history of over 1,000 years are still standing on the Zhaosu Giant Grassland in Ili, Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region.

The heads, faces and bodies of the statues were sculpted in an eye-catchingly vivid manner.

Archaeologists believe that the stone men in Xinjiang, originating from the shamanic religious tradition around 1200 B.C., represent hero worship as well as ancestor worship.

The stone sculptures were carved out of solid rocks. Some have hair draped below their waists. They are mostly full-body portrayals, with expressive heads, faces and bodies.

Warriors, typical figures among the various stone men, have buckles on their belts and knives on their waists.