Bird figurine is earliest Chinese artwork ever discovered, say experts

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A tiny figurine of a bird, carved from burnt bone and no bigger than a £1 coin, is the earliest Chinese artwork ever discovered, according to an international team of archaeologists. 

The carving, less than 2cm in length, has been dated to the palaeolithic period, between 13,800 and 13,000 years ago, which pushes back the earliest known date of east Asian animal sculpture by more than eight millennia. 

It was found at Lingjing in the Henan province of China, and takes the form of a bird standing on a pedestal, which researchers say indicates it may belong to an entirely original artistic tradition, unconnected to other ancient styles found in Europe or Siberia. 

The figure is exceptionally well-preserved, so much so that the researchers have been able to identify the methods used to carve each of its 68 facets – including incised marks intended to represent its eye and bill.

Though its precise meaning and function to its hunter-gatherer owners can never be fully known, its form gives some clues, according to d’Errico. Almost certainly too small to be a personal ornament or intended to be on display, he says, “it looks like an object that you would carry with you in a bag, perhaps with other objects. 

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/10/bird-figurine-earliest-chinese-artwork

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It looks like how an animal cracker would portray a bird!