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Symbolic clay figurines change our understanding of the prehistoric Middle East

Phys.org · WORLD · Science · 11/11/2026, 2:00:29 PM

Newly discovered artifacts are evidence of the earliest known example of a tradition of making clay figurines in the Middle East—and challenge long-held beliefs about when and how clay began to be used for symbolic purposes in the region, according to a study published in PLOS One by Laurent Davin from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel, and colleagues.

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