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Mysterious wooden statue found in peat bog is 'twice as old as Stonehenge' | Mysterious wooden statue found in peat bog is 'twice as old as Stonehenge' |
(4 months later) | |
A wooden statue pulled from a peat bog in Russia more than a hundred years ago is now believed to be twice as old as Stonehenge. | A wooden statue pulled from a peat bog in Russia more than a hundred years ago is now believed to be twice as old as Stonehenge. |
The Shigir Idol, which found in the Ural Mountains in 1890, is thought to be 11,000 years old - making it the oldest wooden sculpture in the world. | The Shigir Idol, which found in the Ural Mountains in 1890, is thought to be 11,000 years old - making it the oldest wooden sculpture in the world. |
Depicting a man with mysterious symbols inscribed on him - which scientists believe could be an ancient encrypted code - the statue is 1,500 years older than previously thought. | Depicting a man with mysterious symbols inscribed on him - which scientists believe could be an ancient encrypted code - the statue is 1,500 years older than previously thought. |
Scientists in Mannheim, Germany, used the most up-to-date carbon dating technology, called Accelerated Mass Spectrometry, to determine the statue’s age. | Scientists in Mannheim, Germany, used the most up-to-date carbon dating technology, called Accelerated Mass Spectrometry, to determine the statue’s age. |
Thomas Terberger, a professor at the Department of Cultural Heritage of Lower Saxony, part of the team who dated the Idol, told the Siberian Times: “The results exceeded our expectations. | Thomas Terberger, a professor at the Department of Cultural Heritage of Lower Saxony, part of the team who dated the Idol, told the Siberian Times: “The results exceeded our 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. | “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. |
“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.” | “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.” |
A source at the Sverdlovsk History Museum in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where the statue is currently on display, told the Siberian Times: “The first attempt to date the idol was made 107 years after its discovery, in 1997. | A source at the Sverdlovsk History Museum in Yekaterinburg, Russia, where the statue is currently on display, told the Siberian Times: “The first attempt to date the idol was made 107 years after its discovery, in 1997. |
"The first radiocarbon analyses showed that idol was 9,500 calendar years old, which led to disputes in scientific society. | "The first radiocarbon analyses showed that idol was 9,500 calendar years old, which led to disputes in scientific society. |
“To exclude doubts, and to make the results known and accepted, a decision was made to use the most modern technologies to date the Idol again.” | “To exclude doubts, and to make the results known and accepted, a decision was made to use the most modern technologies to date the Idol again.” |
Scientists believe the complex runes cut into the wood are encoded information about the origins of the universe from the ancient sculptor. | Scientists believe the complex runes cut into the wood are encoded information about the origins of the universe from the ancient sculptor. |
The source called the sculpture “a key to understanding Eurasian art.” | The source called the sculpture “a key to understanding Eurasian art.” |
The statue was originally 5.3 metres tall but parts of it went missing during the Soviet Era. Now only 2.8 metres remain along with sketches drawn in 1914 by a famous local archaeologist, Vladimir Tolmachev. | The statue was originally 5.3 metres tall but parts of it went missing during the Soviet Era. Now only 2.8 metres remain along with sketches drawn in 1914 by a famous local archaeologist, Vladimir Tolmachev. |
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