http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/20/science/8000-year-old-statue-turkey.html 2016-09-20 10:09:06 8,000-Year-Old Female Figurine Uncovered in Central Turkey Archaeologists have uncovered a rare stone figurine of a woman that an expert says is one of only a handful of statuettes of the era ever found in one piece. === Whoever she was, she had achieved celebrity status. At Catalhoyuk, an ancient site in central The figurine was found beneath a platform with a piece of obsidian, which suggests that it may have been placed there as part of some ritual. Such figurines are often thought of as fertility goddesses. The archaeologists, however, suggest the object represents older women who have achieved status. A Unesco World Heritage site, Catalhoyuk dates back nearly 9,000 years. Archaeological research has been conducted there since the 1960s.