The world’s ‘oldest carving’, found 11,000 years ago, shows a man holding his penis

THE oldest narrative carving in the world has reportedly been discovered, depicting something you might not expect.

According to a new study in the journal antiquityresearchers in south-eastern Turkey have discovered a rock carving that is estimated to be around 11,000 years old.

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The image shows two men and three animals, with one of the men specifically holding his genitals.

The carving itself is a full narrative scene and, due to its age, the oldest yet found.

The scene was specifically discovered on built-in benches in a Neolithic building in the Urfa region, per live science.

Said to be about three feet tall and 12 feet wide, it depicts what researchers have specifically identified as two leopards, a bull, and both men.

While one held his genitals, the other appeared to be holding a snake or a rattle, according to experts.

They also noted that whoever made the carvings thousands of years ago had emphasized the sharp parts of the animals, like the bull’s horns and leopard’s teeth.

Exactly why this was done, or what the narrative is meant to convey in general, has seemingly been lost.

Eylem Özdoğan, an archaeologist at Istanbul University and author of the study, explained that there are two separate scenes in the carving that should be read together.

Reading from left to right, it would begin with the man holding the snake or rattle and the bull facing each other and continue with the other man holding his privates, surrounded by the leopards.

The man holding his genitals is additionally carved in almost 3D.

What does that mean?

Özdoğan and a non-researching Neolithic archaeologist at the German Archaeological Institute, Jens Notroff, agree that the narrative reflects masculinity.

He explained to Live Science that the exposure of the genitals and the life-or-death situation portrayed by the surrounding animals help depict this theme.

“The juxtaposition of demonstrated vitality and masculinity — the phallus display — on the one hand, and life-threatening danger — snarling, bared-fanged predators — on the other, seems particularly remarkable here,” Notroff noted.

However, he still admits that despite its most literate interpretations of the scene, the narrative remains a mystery.

“Unfortunately, while the Neolithic hunter may have easily discerned his message, we still lack understanding of the actual narrative.”

In any case, Notroff considers the discovery to be a “fascinating new discovery” as it could pave the way for a future understanding of art and society in ancient Turkey.

He told Live Science that he’s looking forward to seeing what’s discovered next.

For related content, The US Sun has a story of a discovery of an ancient Egyptian falcon death cult.

The US Sun also reports on a recent expedition that led to the discovery of the oldest African dinosaur ever found.

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