Srinagar, May 6 -- In June 2017, Natalia Polosmak, a Russian archaeologist known for uncovering the Siberian Ice Maiden, stepped into the thick woods of Gora Gali in Pirpanjal region. She had traveled thousands of miles following a rumour.

It was just a vague tip about strange statues lost in the mountains. She thought she might find a few carved rocks. What she found instead stopped her in her tracks.

Nearly 200 life-sized stone horsemen, frozen mid-ride, were scattered across the forest floor.

Some stood upright, their stone faces staring toward the horizon. Others had fallen, overtaken by roots, moss, and mud. The figures were hauntingly detailed: high-cheekboned riders wearing boots and tunics, holding curved daggers, small bows, a...