Over 30,000 years ago, people living in what is now southern Germany carved a tiny horse out of mammoth ivory. Known as the Vogelherd horse, this figurine is considered the oldest horse sculpture ever made by modern humans.
It is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and shows details such as the horse’s mouth, nostrils, eyes, and mane. Although the head is still complete, the legs have broken off over time.
The sculpture was found in Vogelherd Cave, a site used by the Aurignacian people between 43,000 and 35,000 years ago. These early humans were hunter-gatherers who made stone tools, beads, and ivory carvings.
They shared the region for a time with Neanderthals, and the cave shows evidence of both daily life and art. Animal bones found there reveal that reindeer and horses were important for food and inspiration.
The Vogelherd horse tells us that even tens of thousands of years ago, humans felt the need to create art and capture the beauty of the animals they depended on.
