The Great Shigir Idol_full sculpture

sketchfab

The Great Shigir Idol discovered in 1890 during a gold mining operation at the Shigirpeat bog is recognized as the oldest known monumental wooden sculpture. In 2014, a team of archaeologists and scientists from Russia and Germany embarked on a comprehensive study of the idol. The original sculpture stood 5.3 m high; its surviving part measures 3.4 meters tall. Altogether, eight personages are represented on the Great Shigir Idol when images from the lost section are included. Analysis indicates that the idol was crafted from a freshly cut tree trunk using polished stone adzes and chisels. Initially positioned vertically, probably on a stone foundation, it fell into the lake and sank in its shallow part during peat formation, some of which was preserved in ancient cracks. According to AMS results combined with other available data, the idol's age is approximately 9,600–9,000 years ago, corresponding to the beginning of the Mesolithic era.