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Shigir Idol Is One of the World’s Oldest Art Pieces

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An ancient artifact known as the Shigir Idol is likely one of the oldest art samples on Earth, according to a new study published in the journal Antiquity.  Gold prospectors working in Russia first found the relic — known as the Shigir idol — in 1894. However, though more than a century has passed since that time, dating the item has proven to be a real challenge. Now, thanks to recent advancements in science, researchers believe it to be 11,600 years old.

The idol — which measures 16 feet long — is a carved wooden statue covered with distinct markings of human faces and hands. Originally, researchers believed it to be a few thousand years old. Then, a radiocarbon analysis conducted in the 1990’s showed it to be 9,800 years old. However, many scientists rejected the results because they did not believe hunter-gatherers could have created such a large statue.

To finally settle that debate, a group of international researchers took a sample from the sculpture’s core in 2014 and used brand new techniques to date it once again. That then revealed it to be 11,600 years old.

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In addition, the analysis also showed that the sculpture is likely made from a single larch tree log and has eight five human-like face carvings. These findings are important because they reveal the statue came from post-glacial Eurasia, and shed light on what hunter-gatherers may have been like during that time.

“We have to conclude hunter-gatherers had complex ritual and expression of ideas,” said study co-author Thomas Terberger, a researcher at the University of Göttingen, according to Tech Times. “Ritual doesn’t start with farming, but with hunter-gatherers.”

However, as interesting as the new dating is, researchers are still not sure of the meaning behind the sculpture. There is a chance the carvings are meant to symbolize forest spirits or demons, but some scientists believe it could have been a warning. Either way, the idol is one of the oldest pieces of art on Earth and gives a glimpse back into a lesser-known period of time.

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