40,000-year-old bird figurines the size of a thumbnail discovered in German cave

Key Points:

• Archaeologists at Germany's Hohle Fels cave have uncovered two thumbnail-sized bird figurines carved from mammoth ivory, dating back 40,000 years, highlighting the sophisticated artistic skills of early Homo sapiens during the Aurignacian period.
• The new carvings, likely representing ptarmigans, display detailed features and naturalistic poses, suggesting careful observation of birds and possibly symbolic or talismanic significance for the prehistoric people.
• These figurines add to the unique collection of ice age art at Hohle Fels, which also includes the Venus of Hohle Fels and other animal sculptures, underscoring the site's importance as a center of early human creativity in Europe.
• Hohle Fels remains the only known ice age cave site with bird figurines, reflecting the inhabitants' close relationship with their natural environment and their use of materials like mammoth ivory for artistic and musical purposes.
• The bird carvings are currently exhibited at the Museum of Prehistory and Ice Age Art in Blaubeuren, Germany, until April 2027.