Shigir Idol Revealed To Be 11,000-Years-Old

Yanked from a bog in eastern Russia more than 100 years ago, a wooden statue was on Monday revealed to be more than 11,000 years old -- twice the age of Stonehenge. The carbon dating, carried out by scientists in Mannheim, Germany, is likely to redefine the study of ancient human civilizations.

Using an Accelerated Mass Spectrometry to reveal its ancient origins, the discovery means the artifact is 1,500 years older than previously thought, and is now officially the oldest wooden sculpture in the world. Depicting a man, the statue boasts a series of strange inscription, possibly ancient coding about the universe, according to experts.

Speaking to the Siberian Times, Thomas Terberger, an academic at the Department of Cultural Heritage of Lower Saxony, said the result “exceeded” his expectations.

“This is an extremely important date for the international scientific community. It is important for understanding the development of civilisation and the art of Eurasia and humanity as a whole,” he said, adding: “We can say that in those times, 11,000 years ago, the hunters, fishermen and gatherers of the Urals were no less developed than the farmers of the Middle East.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/08/31/shigir-idol-wooden-statue-dated_n_8066648.html