The Shigir Idol, discovered by gold miners in Russia's Ural Mountains in 1890, has been dated to 12,500 years ago and is the oldest known example of carved wood anywhere in the world.
Notes on verification
Confirmed by multiple independent sources including a 2021 peer-reviewed study (Terberger et al.) and reputable news outlets. Dating estimates have shifted over time, but 12,500 years is the current consensus figure from the most recent research. [cascade flags: wikipedia_dropped_other_sources_exist | tier=unverified indep_score=0.3 clusters=2 claim_tier=notable] [rescored 2026-09-15: curated origin-host map (PR #65); unclassified hosts no longer scored as aggregators]
Sources
- Retiree Uncovers Wooden Artifact 2,000 Years Older Than ... (seed:history_and_archaeology)
- https://news.artnet.com/art-world/shigir-idol-new-research-1953647 (corroboration)
- https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-history-archaeology/11000-years-old-new-dating-shigir-idol-reveals-it-oldest-wooden-sculpture-020504 (corroboration)