> While the wood is probably at least that old, the carving isn't necessarily quite that old.
The russian article on Wikipedia says that there was a research including examining the surface with a microscope and it shows that the statue is made from a freshly chopped tree with stone tools.
The difference is dates is because the research in 2015 was done using another method [1] . The age of the tree is estimated to be around 160 years old.
Thanks for the ru.wiki check! Maybe it was carried to the peat bog by meltwater. (Peat bogs are great for preservation.) 11,600 ya is the world-wide beginning of Holocene glacial retreat.
If the dates are right it's amazing that this marks that time -and- is a spectacular cultural marker. Can't help but think of totem poles.
The science has to be done right. Groundwater can contain 'aged carbon', low in C-14, derived from rocks through which it has passed. Things soaked in it can look -much- older than they are.
The russian article on Wikipedia says that there was a research including examining the surface with a microscope and it shows that the statue is made from a freshly chopped tree with stone tools.
The difference is dates is because the research in 2015 was done using another method [1] . The age of the tree is estimated to be around 160 years old.
[1] https://phys.org/news/2018-04-wooden-shigir-idol-egyptian-py...