The Great Shigir Idol_part 8

sketchfab

The Great Shigir Idol uncovered in 1890 during a gold mining operation at the Shigirpeat bog is identified as the oldest known monumental wooden sculpture ever discovered. In 2014, a team of Russian and German archaeologists and scientists embarked on an exhaustive study of this idol. Initially measuring 5.3 meters tall, the surviving portion stands at 3.4 meters high, depicting eight figures in total when combined with images from the lost part. Analysis revealed that the idol was crafted from a freshly cut tree trunk using polished stone adzes and chisels. The sculpture was initially placed vertically on a stone foundation before falling into the lake and sinking into its shallow end during peat formation, where some ancient cracks preserved remnants of it. According to AMS results paired with other available data, the idol's age is estimated at approximately 9,600–9,000 years ago, corresponding to the onset of the Mesolithic era.