40k-Year-Old Bird Figurines Found in German Cave
4 hours ago
- Two miniature bird figurines carved from mammoth ivory, about 2 cm long and weighing roughly a gram each, were discovered in Hohle Fels Cave in southwestern Germany.
- Dated to approximately 40,000 years ago, they are among the smallest and most delicate examples of Ice Age art ever found.
- The figurines were found 1.5 meters apart in the same Aurignacian layer, suggesting they may be contemporaneous and possibly by the same artisan.
- One figurine depicts a bird crouched low, likely brooding, while the other shows outstretched wings, possibly in flight or courtship display.
- The carvings exhibit naturalistic detail, with the brooding bird likely modeled on a ptarmigan, indicating skilled observation and ivory-carving techniques.
- The finds highlight that humans in the region 40,000 years ago were accomplished miniaturist artists, raising new questions about Ice Age artistry and bird symbolism.