Sayburç bull leaping scene oldest known example worldwide. Sayburç contains a figure holding privates flanked by leopards A large bull scene shows a figure in bull leaping position This is the earliest known example of bull leaping in the world

At Sayburç in Turkey, archaeologists found the world's oldest narrative scene! A figure holds his privates as he stands between two leopards. A second panel shows a man in a bull-leaping position at a large bull—possibly the earliest known example of narrative art in the world. 🔭

Key Facts

  • Sayburç contains a figure holding privates flanked by leopards
  • A large bull scene shows a figure in bull leaping position
  • This is the earliest known example of bull leaping in the world
  • The enclosure orientation is approximately 348° (12 degrees west of north)
  • This orientation matches the enclosures at Göbekli Tepe
  • The alignment points to the star Deneb in Cygnus constellation around 9,000 BC
  • The alignment relates to the Cygnus Rift where the Milky Way splits in two
  • The site was oriented towards the sky world in Neolithic belief system

Related site: Sayburç — view location, images, and history on the Ancient Nerds map.