Prehistoric Clay Figurines Reveal Adults and Children Sculpted Together 15,000 Years Ago
Archaeologists discovered 15,000-year-old Natufian clay figurines in Israel, revealing that adults and children sculpted together millennia before the dawn of agriculture.
Archaeologists in Israel have discovered 154 Natufian clay figurines dating back approximately 15,000 years, offering unprecedented evidence that adults and children sculpted together millennia before the advent of agriculture. The findings, published in the journal PLOS One, represent the earliest known figurative clay tradition in Southwest Asia.
The research was led by Dr. Lauren Davin, Prof. Leore Grosman, and Prof. Anna Belfer-Cohen from the Institute of Archaeology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, alongside a multidisciplinary team of researchers from the University of Haifa, the Israel Antiquities Authority, the French Research Center in Jerusalem, and the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). The artifacts were excavated at three key prehistoric sites: Hayonim Cave terrace and el-Wad Cave terrace in Mount Carmel, and Ein Mallaha in the Hula Valley.
Microscopic Analysis of Fingerprints
By examining microscopic fingerprints preserved in the clay, the research team determined that both adults and children actively participated in shaping and decorating the objects. Some fingerprints belonged to children under the age of ten, providing a rare glimpse into prehistoric education and the role of youth in ancient societies.
On one human figurine, researchers identified two overlapping fingerprints: one belonging to an adult woman and the other to a child. The positioning of the prints indicates that the sculpture was passed between them during the creative process, marking a tangible artifact of ancient mentorship. Furthermore, the depth and placement of the marks confirm the children's active and intentional involvement rather than accidental contact.
Diverse Animal Forms and Earliest Engobe Technique
The assemblage comprises 15 complete, identifiable figurines alongside 139 cylindrical fragments. Birds constitute the vast majority of the identified pieces with 11 items, alongside a mammal, a gazelle, and two human figures. Certain avian figurines exhibit meticulous details of feathers, wings, and tails, including waterfowl and raptors. Some birds are depicted with heads tilted downwards, reflecting courtship postures typical of ducks during mating season.
Analysis also revealed traces of red pigment applied using the engobe technique—a thin coating of colored liquid clay—marking the earliest known use of this method globally. Unlike static bone carving or stone engraving, clay sculpting allowed prehistoric hunter-gatherers to dynamically construct and modify their symbolic creations, laying the groundwork for complex artistic traditions long before the Neolithic agricultural revolution.
