Tolbaga

The Tolbaga archaeological site is located south of Lake Baikal, on the right bank of the Khilok River. It is notably significant for yielding one of the earliest examples of naturalistic sculpture in the world. This sculpture, estimated to date to around 34,860 BP, is a three-dimensional representation of an animal head, likely a bear, intricately carved from the second vertebra of a woolly rhinoceros. The presence of microscopic tool marks suggests the use of stone tools in its creation, providing valuable insight into the artistic capabilities of Upper Paleolithic humans. This site offers crucial evidence of early human artistic expression and their interaction with the environment during the Upper Paleolithic period.