'First painted statue' found in Göbeklitepe

A statue of a wild boar was unearthed during archaeological excavations in Göbeklitepe, often referred to as the 'zero point of history' due to its 12,000-year history, located in Şanlıurfa in Türkiye. This discovery marks the first instance of a painted sculpture from its era being found to date. In 2023, as part of the Stone Hills project, which has provided valuable insights into prehistory and made significant global discoveries, human and animal statues were finally uncovered through extensive excavations carried out in nine archaeological sites. In the course of excavations conducted by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, a life-sized wild boar statue, crafted from limestone, was located within the D structure of Göbeklitepe. Notably, the statue's surface exhibited remnants of red, white, and black pigments, making it the first painted sculpture from that era found up to the present day. The wild boar statue discovered in Göbeklitepe was situated on a platform adorned with symbols that are believed to represent an H-shaped design, a crescent, two serpents, and three human faces or masks. Furthermore, during excavations conducted in Karahantepe, one of the most lifelike sculptures of its time was uncovered. This 2.3-meter-tall statue, which features an exceptionally realistic facial expression, is considered a prime example of prehistoric art. It was firmly fixed to the ground within a platform. Adjacent to the seated statue, which accentuates anatomical features such as ribs, spine, and shoulder bones, reminiscent of a deceased individual, a vulture statue mounted on the wall and stone slabs scattered on the floor were also found.