Simon H. aus B.Jan 18, 2025
Nina Willburger

An #IceAge masterpiece: the oldest known representation of a bird.
The small carving (4.7cm) of a water bird was made from mammoth ivory some 40,000 years ago. It's thought to be a diver, cormorant, or duck.
Found in the Hohle Fels cave on the Swabian Jura.
On display at our branch museum Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren.

Photo: Archäologisches Landesmuseum Baden-Württemberg

Further information (including 3D model)
https://www.urmu.de/digitale-sammlung/objekt/wasservogel-1977-0119-9000-9000-1

#archaeology

Wasservogel - Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren

Jan 18, 2025 at 8:19amWeb
Show threadLeoniekeJan 18, 2025
@ninawillburger This is gorgeous, the lines of the bird!
Show threadSarah WJan 18, 2025
@ninawillburger
Wow, this is incredible.
Show threadSarah WJan 18, 2025
@ninawillburger
I've just looked up this cave in Germany, there are some amazing finds from there.
Show threadJon SullivanJan 18, 2025
@ninawillburger That is an *excellent* 40,000 year old bird sculpture. I recommend clicking through to the 3D model. I’ve been rotating it about and looking at it from all sides. https://sketchfab.com/3d-models/ice-age-art-bird-water-fowl-94827146c66846c183ae61d42e0158c3
Ice age art, bird (water fowl) - 3D model by LAD BW (@ladbw)

UNESCO World Heritage Site - Caves and Ice Age Art in the Swabian Jura https://www.iceageart.de Cultural complex and age: Aurignacian, between 43,000 and 35,000 BP Site: Hohle Fels Höhle Year of discovery: 2001 Material: Mammoth ivory Dimension: 4.7 cm length 3D digitizing methods: Structural light scanner Polygon PTM1600c and Photogrammetry (Structure from Motion) Exibition site of original: Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren Videoclips: The Caves with the oldest Ice Age art Höhlen und Eiszeitkunst der Schwäbischen Alb – UNESCO-Welterbe 2018 © Landesamt für Denkmalpflege im Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart - Ice age art, bird (water fowl) - 3D model by LAD BW (@ladbw)

Sketchfab
Show threadJames 🦉 #FBPE 🇪🇺Jan 18, 2025
@ninawillburger 40,000 y.a.?! It just blows my mind!
Show threadBardMoss the Bodhi Linux GuyJan 18, 2025
@Ken_McConnell
This almost looks like one of your spaceship models...