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Archaeologists Unveil 11,500-Year-Old Carvings as Earliest Known Object-Based Narrative

The set is now on view in Ankara, underscoring a push to elevate Karahantepe’s role in early Neolithic culture.

A view shows the archaeological site of Karahan Tepe, one of the world's oldest Neolithic settlements, is pictured in Sanliurfa, Turkey, September 14, 2023. REUTERS/Tolga Ildun/File Photo
A view shows the archaeological site of Karahan Tepe, one of the world's oldest Neolithic settlements, is pictured in Sanliurfa, Turkey, September 13, 2023. REUTERS/Tolga Ildun/File Photo
A visitor looks at animal sculptures, discovered at the Karahan Tepe archaeological site, as he visits the "Golden Age of Archaeology" exhibition at the Presidential Complex Exhibition Hall in Ankara, Turkey, August 21, 2025. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan
A human head-shaped sculpture, discovered at the Karahan Tepe archaeological site, is displayed at the "Golden Age of Archaeology" exhibition at the Presidential Complex Exhibition Hall in Ankara, Turkey, August 21, 2025. REUTERS/Cagla Gurdogan

Overview

  • A fox, a vulture and a wild boar carved in stone were excavated at Karahantepe in southeastern Turkey and dated to roughly 11,500 years ago.
  • Each figurine is about 3.5 cm tall and was found in a small sealed container placed inside a larger vessel, with the heads positioned in limestone rings to form a deliberate composition.
  • The artefacts are being publicly displayed for the first time at the Presidential Complex in Ankara alongside other finds from the site.
  • Excavation leader Necmi Karul says the arrangement reflects early storytelling, the presence of artists and shared communal memory in newly sedentary societies.
  • Karahantepe is part of the Tas Tepeler project near the UNESCO-listed Göbeklitepe, spans about 14 hectares with only a small portion excavated since 2019, and the team plans to seek UNESCO recognition.