Neolithic sculpture of a man riding a leopard discovered in Turkey
According to archaeologists, the statue's abstract style and depiction of a human on an animal make this discovery significant
Archaeologists have uncovered a remarkable 11,000-year-old statue in southeastern Turkey, during the 2026 Heritage for the Future excavations. The 70-centimetre-tall statue, discovered on a bench extending along the wall of a three-metre structure, features a human figure riding a leopard. Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy expressed excitement over the discovery, stating that it opens new questions about early human history.
Professor Elizabeth Carter from UCLA noted that this find, part of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period sites in Taş Tepeler, is unique as it shows a human astride an animal. Archaeologist Ergun Lafli from Dokuz Eylul University highlighted the importance of this discovery, considering it one of the earliest evidences of religion and cult in the Near East, relevant to regions from Spain to Afghanistan.
The statue, carved in local limestone, also sheds light on the ancient Lydian civilization and the cultural unity of prehistory, with its abstract iconography resembling prehistoric European mural paintings.
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