Monumental Statues & Insights from Karahan Tepe & Göbekli Tepe 9400-9600 BC

Vulture statue from Göbeklitepe, dated to 9600-8000 BC.

Archaeologists working on the Tasta Stone Hills project in southeast Turkey have discovered two remarkable statues at the Karahan Tepe site, which dates back to 9,400 BC. The first statue is the world’s earliest example of a realistic human depiction, measuring 7′ 6″ tall and featuring a strong, wide v-neck motif and clear ribs carved with a square, raised protrusion between the ribs. It has arms coming down its side holding the area around his phus and is similar in style to the Bical statue, which dates to 10,300 years old.

The second statue is of a vulture, a bird that was the ultimate symbol of birth, death, and rebirth among the pre-pottery and later ceramic Neolithic peoples of Anatolia. The enclosure where the statues were found appears to be oriented to around 20° east of the north, based on the position of the port hole stone, which is currently being analyzed by archaeologists. The enclosure’s alignment is with the rising of the northern opening of the Milky Way’s dark rift, marked by the stars of Signus and, in particular, the bright star Denb.