Karahantepe is part of a group of Neolithic sites dating back more than 10,000 years.
On Tuesday, Culture Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy confirmed that archaeologists have uncovered an 11,000-year-old stone sculpture showing a human figure seated on a leopard at Karahantepe, a neolithic site in southeastern Türkiye.
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The 70-cm sculpture, which was unearthed at Karahantepe near the city of Sanliurfa this year, was found on a bench against the wall of a circular structure about 3 meters in diameter.
Minister Ersoy called the find a “unique sculpture” and said its artistic style had not previously been identified at the prehistoric settlement.
Karahantepe is part of an archaeological site that encompasses a group of Neolithic sites dating back more than 10,000 years.
11,000-year-old sculpture unearthed at Karahantepe….
Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy said an 11,000-year-old composite sculpture depicting a human figure sitting on the back of a leopard has been discovered during excavations at Karahantepe, located in… pic.twitter.com/7Sdf8vrzrw
— Archaeo – Histories (@archeohistories) August 26, 2026
In the Neolithic period, communities in the region were transitioning from mobile hunter-gatherer lifestyles toward more settled forms of life.
Excavations in the region have revealed monumental structures and sophisticated artwork, providing evidence of complex social and ritual practices long before the emergence of cities and written records.
“I believe this discovery, which opens the door to new questions about the earliest periods of human history, will resonate widely in the scientific community,” the Minister added.
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Source: Xinhua
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