The world’s oldest sculpted human face was discovered in Western Armenia

The oldest carved image of a human face in the world has been discovered at the Karahan-Tepe archaeological site in southeastern part if  Western Armenia. The stone, carved on a monolithic pillar, is believed to be a 12,000-year-old piece of art that changes perceptions of when human portraiture originated.

Karahan-Tepe is considered one of the cradles of world culture, comparable to Gobekli-Tepe, but according to scientists it is distinguished by its more complex architecture and evidence of ancient social structures. The area, inhabited by hunters and gatherers, is decorated with large T-shaped stone pillars and sculptures. For many years, scientists could not explain the meaning of these pillars; the new find proves that they carried a deep symbolic meaning. The pillar with the image of a human face, according to researchers, is the first attempt of humanity to reflect itself on stone, thereby laying the foundation for the art of portraiture.

It should be noted that in 2023, a life-size statue of a man with expressive features and detailed body design, as well as images of birds and snakes, representing the symbolic world of the ancient world, was also discovered at the same archaeological site.

This discovery once again proves that Western Armenia was the cradle of human civilization and the birthplace of art.