GGöbekli Tepe Visit

OBJECT RECORD · REPORTED · CHECKED 2026-10-22

Human figure seated on a leopard

Karahan Tepe

Overview of the excavated area at Karahan Tepe.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: Overview of the excavated area at Karahan Tepe.Photo: Frantisek Trampota, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
View of Karahan Tepe.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: View of Karahan Tepe.Photo: Campels, CC0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
T-shaped pillars in an excavated building at Karahan Tepe.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: T-shaped pillars in an excavated building at Karahan Tepe.Photo: tobeytravels, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
Bedrock pillars and a carved head in Structure AB at Karahan Tepe.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: Bedrock pillars and a carved head in Structure AB at Karahan Tepe.Photo: tobeytravels, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
A porthole stone and pillar-like sculpture at Karahan Tepe.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: A porthole stone and pillar-like sculpture at Karahan Tepe.Photo: tobeytravels, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
A fox relief carved on a pillar in Structure AD at Karahan Tepe.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: A fox relief carved on a pillar in Structure AD at Karahan Tepe.Photo: tobeytravels, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
A seated human statue from Karahan Tepe in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: A seated human statue from Karahan Tepe in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.Photo: Marco Restano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
A carved head from Karahan Tepe in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: A carved head from Karahan Tepe in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.Photo: Marco Restano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
Stone objects from Karahan Tepe displayed in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: Stone objects from Karahan Tepe displayed in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.Photo: Marco Restano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences
A stone stela from Karahan Tepe in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.
Site view at Karahan Tepe: A stone stela from Karahan Tepe in the Şanlıurfa Archaeology Museum.Photo: Marco Restano, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsPhoto credits & licences

Record

SiteKarahan Tepe
Location nowReported from Karahan Tepe; current display/storage location not confirmed
Discovered2026
DatingPPNA, reported as about 11,000 years old
DimensionsAbout 70 cm high

What is carved

The composite sculpture depicts a human figure seated on the back of a leopard. It was reported as having been found on a bench along the wall of a building about 3 m wide. The find was announced in August 2026. [1][2]

Interpretations

Speculation

The image may relate to other human-and-leopard depictions in the region, but meaning is not established. [1][2]

By Jens Notroff, commenting in contemporary reporting

Related Field Log entries