The Great Shigir Idol_part 10_head

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The Great Shigir Idol, discovered during a gold mining operation in the Shigirpeat bog back in 1890, is recognized as the oldest known monumental wooden sculpture. In 2014, Russian and German archaeologists and scientists joined forces for an exhaustive study of this idol. The original sculpture stood at an impressive 5.3 meters high, while the surviving portion measures 3.4 meters tall. A total of eight personages are represented on the Great Shigir Idol when you consider both the preserved and lost parts together. Researchers have determined that the idol was crafted from a freshly cut tree trunk using polished stone adzes and chisels. Initially, it was positioned vertically atop a stone foundation before falling into the lake and sinking in its shallow area during peat formation, some of which remains intact within ancient cracks. Dating back to around 9,600-9,000 years ago, as calculated by AMS results combined with other available data, this aligns perfectly with the onset of the Mesolithic era.