Bird figurine is earliest Chinese artwork ever discovered, say experts

Refined' 2cm carving found in Henan dates to palaeolithic period up to 13,000 years ago

A tiny figurine of a bird, carved from burnt bone and no bigger than a 1 coin, is the earliest Chinese artwork ever discovered, according to an international team of archaeologists.

The carving, less than 2cm in length, has been dated to the palaeolithic period, between 13,800 and 13,000 years ago, which pushes back the earliest known date of east Asian animal sculpture by more than eight millennia.