Many questions remain about the stone face, which was discovered by chance in the Akmola region of Kazakhstan, but experts believe that it's likely at least 3,000 years old.
Margulan Institute of ArchaeologyThe stone face may have been part of some kind of ritual complex.
Employees of the Emergency Situations Department in Kazakhstan were recently conducting a routine survey in the Akmola region when they came across a surprising sight. As they brushed aside some undergrowth, they found themselves looking straight into the eyes of a stone carving of a human face.
The carving had been hidden for centuries, if not longer. The employees immediately notified local archaeologists, who came to take a look — but many questions about this remarkable artifact still remain.
Discovering The Stone Face In Kazakhstan
According to local media, the stone face was discovered by chance as employees of the Emergency Situations Department conducted a routine survey in the Akmola region, located in the center of the country.
The carving was found after two employees noticed a stone half-buried in the ground. They approached and began to wipe away centuries of dirt, slowly but surely revealing the stone face hidden beneath.
Kazakhstan Emergency Situations DepartmentThe stone carving of the human face was discovered by chance during a survey led by Kazakhstan’s Emergency Situations Department.
The carving is about 10 inches tall by eight inches wide and faces toward the southwest. Nearby, archaeologists also found a rock ceiling and a faded image of a deer.
“It is a source of great satisfaction to make such an important discovery while engaged in our primary responsibilities,” Aset Zhangozhin of the Emergency Situations Department, Sandyktau District, said in a statement about the find. “Furthermore, I believe that this discovery will have a positive impact not only on our district, but also on the entire country.”
But while the discovery is an exciting one, archaeologists have more questions than answers about the stone face carving at the moment.
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What Does The Stone Face Carving Signify?
gov.kzArchaeologists still have many questions about the carving, including what it meant and when it was created.
The stone carving has an ageless gaze, but archaeologists aren’t sure when exactly it was created.
“Similar images have been found in the Bronze Age in Central Asia and Eastern Europe,” Sergey Yarygin of the Margulan Institute of Archaeology explained. “They also appear in the Early Iron Age in Southern Siberia up to the Hun-Sarmatian period. We are all familiar with Turkic sculpture, which was widely spread in the Middle Ages throughout the Eurasian steppes. However, we cannot rule out the New Age period either.”
Likewise, archaeologists don’t know what purpose the carving served. It’s possible that the stone face and the nearby rock ceiling may have played some sort of ritualistic purpose to an ancient civilization. But the site would need to be studied further for archaeologists to be sure.
The stone carving is now under the care of the Emergency Situations Department. According to local media, however, the face will probably continue to draw the attention of scholars, and it may be the site of future archaeological excavations.
Whenever the carving was made and whatever purpose it served, it’s certainly a startling and significant discovery. Not only does it display incredible craftsmanship, but the human face carved into stone serves as a stirring reminder of how similar we are to our ancient ancestors.
After reading about the carving of a stone face found in Kazakhstan, discover the enchanting story of Lake Kaindy, Kazakhstan’s submerged forest. Or, learn about the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
