A 10,000-year-old stone bowl found in present-day southeastern Turkey may show one of the earliest depictions of dancing. The carving, discovered at the prehistoric settlement of Nevalı Çori, features two human figures with raised arms surrounding a mysterious third figure. Researchers have offered several explanations for the scene, including dancing, childbirth, and ritual activities.
The limestone fragment measures about 19 by 13 centimeters (7.5 by 5.1 inches). Its broken edges suggest that the original decoration may have included additional figures.
Mysterious figures raise questions about prehistoric dancing
The two larger figures have recognizable human features, including heads, hands, fingers, and outstretched legs. Their raised arms and body positions have led some archaeologists to suggest they are dancing. However, the smaller figure between them remains difficult to identify. It has a diamond-shaped head, a rounded body, and short limbs. Some researchers have compared it to a turtle, while others believe it may represent a human or a figure combining human and animal features.
Archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel examined the carving in his 2003 book “Dancing at the Dawn of Agriculture.” He explored the possibility that the central figure represents a woman rather than a turtle. Other interpretations have linked the scene to childbirth or a family celebrating a birth. Such uncertainty also surrounds other examples of prehistoric human imagery, including a 12,000-year-old human statue discovered at Göbekli Tepe.
Researchers find similarities with traditional Anatolian game
A study published in the journal Folklor Akademi in December 2025 offered another interpretation of the ancient artwork. Researchers compared the figures with a traditional Anatolian village game called “meşh,” also known as “arı” in some areas.
Could this 10,000-year-old stone bowl show one of the earliest dance scenes?
Discovered in Turkey, the carving features mysterious human figures with raised arms. Researchers believe it may depict dancing, a birth ritual or an ancient communal activity. pic.twitter.com/gluGilQGPB
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) October 27, 2026
During the game, participants raise their arms and make distinctive gestures involving their faces. Researchers identified similarities between these movements and the positions of the figures carved on the bowl. The game has also been documented in the Şanlıurfa region, where Nevalı Çori is located. However, the similarities do not establish that the same activity has continued for 10,000 years.
Ancient settlement reveals early artistic traditions
Archaeologists excavated Nevalı Çori between 1983 and 1991 under the direction of Harald Hauptmann. The settlement belonged to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic period, when communities were establishing permanent settlements and developing elaborate forms of art and architecture.
Excavations uncovered stone sculptures, residential buildings, and a structure with T-shaped pillars similar to those found at nearby Göbekli Tepe. Recent discoveries of possible 10,000-year-old homes at Göbekli Tepe have provided further evidence of everyday life at early Neolithic settlements. Similar architectural traditions extended across the region. Archaeologists have also identified 11,000-year-old structures with Göbekli Tepe-style pillars in southeastern Turkey.
Nevalı Çori was later submerged beneath the Atatürk Dam reservoir. The decorated bowl fragment is now preserved at the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum. Although its meaning remains uncertain, the carving offers evidence of how early communities represented human figures and possible shared activities through art.
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