This is the Oldest Wooden Statue in the World — What's carved on it?

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

OK that's three for totem pole, it's a sign
lol

Seriously though if people have been following ancient cultures artifacts and styles, there is so many similarities,

we have been far more connected throughout history then people can imagine

a reply to: Stormdancer777

Cheers buddy, just had a quick look at the page.

To me then its obvious whoever was building them in the far east took this building trait with them when they colonized the americas.

Do native americas know why they started building them in the first place? or is that just lost to antiquity?

a reply to: theantediluvian
Somehow expected to see "Kilroy was here" carved on the side.

Great Post.

I would guess it is more of a tribal Totem to which many of the far-flung tribal groups made 'pilgrimage' to...a very early kind of Haj to the Kabbah in modern Arabia

perhaps the etch markings were a form of proverb left by each newly acknowledged Leader Shaman for the people to heed

I propose that the remarkable 19+ foot height of the human form Totem (with a relative small head)... was not to reflect anything like of giantism....

but was a way to pass on the knowledge that the Totem represented that the imaged man went up and disappeared in the sky

a reply to: theantediluvian

Your research here is fascinating. Thanks for the posting, OP.
It seems to me, as others have said, this is a very early totem. I think the lines on it denote division, and the line continues down through the body of the totem. A division, perhaps, in belief, which the totem, after all, represents.
tetra

two dimensional comic strip or visa-pass ?
maybe they are describing their homeland

a reply to: theantediluvian

Thanks for posting, this is interesting. Ok, it's a stretch but it's vaguely similar to the 'phallic' structures found at the graveyard of the Tarim mummies, if you remember them?



NY Times

Your find is in a geographically similar location, albeit 5000 years earlier.
But still, worth considering. Very cool find, either way.

B x

a reply to: theantediluvian

Looks like a carving of the "Green Man"

I have two theories. The first is that it is a totem pole, with each design being a fabric pattern used by different families.



The second is that it is a wind gauge, and that there would be a rope with a block of wood attacked to the mouth of the head. When the wind blew at a particular speed it would line up with one of the figures.

The double bump would be the optimum wind speed speed.

I have never heard of this before so thanks for the new information. As something this old the statue still looks quite intriguing.

Hey yall, I was just feeling pretty groovy so I posted that this is interesting, I'm not sure why I'm posting and it may get deleted, but It might be the same reason everyone else posts. hhahaah great thread these look interesting. Have a great night everyone.

originally posted by: Hanslune

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: theantediluvian

Maybe it was a sex doll, a sentry like the Terra cotta warriors from China? Maybe it was a statue of somebodies loved one that passed, a grave marker.

Maybe it was a God…nah, scratch that one.

Toothpick?

Haha yeah, why not bring giants into the mix as well eh? We got plenty room here so why not, right?

originally posted by: 3n19m470

originally posted by: Hanslune

originally posted by: intrptr
a reply to: theantediluvian

Maybe it was a sex doll, a sentry like the Terra cotta warriors from China? Maybe it was a statue of somebodies loved one that passed, a grave marker.

Maybe it was a God…nah, scratch that one.

Toothpick?

Haha yeah, why not bring giants into the mix as well eh? We got plenty room here so why not, right?

Nothing better to wedge out that piece of mammoth thigh stuck between your double row of molars!

Hanslune,

I find your term wedge interesting. Everyone focuses on the penis/faces or geometric designs carved into the plank(for lack of better term) without noting the techniques the larger would have used to get a large log into the basic totem plank eemployed. A lot more material has been removed from the ooriginal log than what in my limited experience have seen in other totems. Most people do not consider or ponder the intricacies of woodworking the same way they do stoneworks but the skillset may have been even more complex with wood. Knowing how that wood I'd going to want to crack as it dries or knowing that cutting down that tree which is still standing but has been dead for a couple years makes a huge difference in something which obviously took time to make.

Did they use saws? Careful burning and scraping away the char? Or axe away materials at certain intervals then wedge (froe) the spots between? All those technologies would have been available at the time but would still have represented a devotion of resources.