A 12,000-Year-Old Figurine Shows the Earliest Human–Animal Interaction Ever Found
A 12,000-year-old clay figurine found at a prehistoric village overlooking the Sea of Galilee is reshaping what researchers know about early art, according to a study in PNAS. The artifact, a tiny sculpture of a crouching woman with a goose perched on her back, is now the earliest known depiction of a human interacting with an animal.
The piece, found at the Late Natufian site of Nahal Ein Gev II, predates the Neolithic by more than a millennium and marks an important moment in early symbolic expression.
“This discovery is extraordinary on multiple levels,” said Dr. Laurent Davin, lead author, in a press release. “Not only is this the world’s earliest figurine depicting human-animal interaction, but it’s also the earliest naturalistic representation of a woman found in Southwest Asia.”
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Life in the Natufian Community
Reseachers discovered the figurine during excavations inside the fill of a curved stone structure at Nahal Ein Gev II — a building that also contained burials and ceremonial deposits. Archaeologists recovered the sculpture in three separate clay fragments, which were later reassembled during analysis. According to the researchers, the location of the pieces within a ritual structure strongly suggests that the figurine held symbolic meaning for the community.
The Natufian culture, active between roughly 15,000 and 11,500 years ago, marks a key transition as groups shifted from mobile foraging to more settled village life. Art from this period is rare, and detailed human figures are especially uncommon, making this find notable for both its realism and the interaction it portrays.
Geese were part of the Natufian diet and material culture, but the figurine does not resemble a hunting scene. Instead, the goose appears balanced and alive on the woman’s back, indicating the sculptor likely intended a symbolic moment rather than a representation of daily tasks.
Analyzing the Figurine
Standing just 3.7 centimeters (~1.5 inches) tall, the figurine was shaped from local clay and intentionally heated to around 400°C (~ 750 degrees F), marking early pyrotechnological control long before ceramics became widespread. Microscopic and chemical analyses revealed traces of red ocher pigment on both figures, as well as a preserved fingerprint likely left by the artist.
The study notes that the sculptor emphasized the figurine’s left profile. The proportions and carved lines suggest it was meant to be viewed under directional light, such as sunlight or firelight, so that shadows would accentuate depth and highlight the interaction between the woman and the goose. This design choice points to deliberate aesthetic decision-making during a period when such techniques were still emerging.
Why this Figurine Changes How We Understand Early Symbolism
The authors interpret the woman-and-goose composition as a deliberate example of symbolic innovation at the end of the Epipaleolithic. Rather than depicting routine activity, the figurine reflects early narrative thinking, possibly tied to animistic beliefs in which humans and animals were viewed as interconnected.
Its ritual context and careful construction indicate that early settled communities were already engaging in symbolic expression long before such traditions became common in the Neolithic.
“The NEG II figurine captures a transformative moment,” said Leore Grosman, a co-author, in the press release. “It bridges the world of mobile hunter-gatherers and that of the first settled communities, showing how imagination and symbolic thinking began to shape human culture.”
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