The Archaeologist

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The Mysterious 11,000-Year-Old Kilisik Sculpture of Ancient Turkey

In this captivating video, we delve into some of the remarkable ancient discoveries from Pre-Pottery Neolithic Turkey, and among them shines the Kilisik sculpture, unearthed in Adiyaman, southeastern Turkey, in 1965.

Before the uncovering of the famed T-shaped pillars at Nevali Cori in the 1980s, the Kilisik Sculpture stood as an intriguing archaeological anomaly, as noted by Jens Notroff in an insightful article referenced below.

Estimated to be approximately 11,000 years old, this limestone masterpiece stands at a modest 80cm in height. Its features include a broad, curved back, an oversized head with a slim face and prominently emphasized nose. Notably, its peculiarly shaped head has invited comparisons to the iconic xenomorphs from the Alien film franchise.

While some may speculate about extraterrestrial origins, the Kilisik sculpture is firmly rooted in the artistic styles of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, synthesizing various elements of art and sculpture into a singular, rare artifact. Dive deeper into its enigmatic story by watching our video.