The Great Shigir Idol_part 5

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The Great Shigir Idol was unearthed in 1890 as a result of gold mining operations at the Shigirpeat bog and is recognized as the oldest known wooden monumental sculpture. In 2014, a team of Russian and German archaeologists and scientists undertook a thorough study of the idol. The original sculpture stood 5.3 meters tall, while its surviving part measures 3.4 meters in height. A total of eight personages were depicted on the Great Shigir Idol, taking into account images from the lost portion. Researchers found that the idol was crafted from a freshly cut tree trunk using polished stone adzes and chisels. Initially positioned vertically on a stone foundation, the sculpture eventually fell into the lake and sank in its shallow part during peat formation, with some preserved in ancient cracks. According to AMS results combined with other available data, the idol's age is estimated at approximately 9,600–9,000 years ago, coinciding with the beginning of the Mesolithic era.