# Symbolic clay figurines change our understanding of the prehistoric Middle East

Source: [Science News - Mathematics, Economics, Archaeology, Fossils](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-clay-figurines-prehistoric-middle-east.html) · 2026-11-11 · Life
Page: https://themorning.science/story/symbolic-clay-figurines-change-our-understanding-of-the-prehistoric-middle-east-767fbfef8701704f
Kind: research · Impact: low

## In brief

- Newly discovered clay figurines are described as the earliest known example of a figurine-making tradition in the Middle East.
- The finds challenge long-held beliefs about when clay began to be used for symbolic purposes in the region.
- The findings are reported in a study published in PLOS (journal name truncated in the source).

## Why it matters

The study revises the timeline for when symbolic clay objects appeared in the Middle East, which bears on how researchers understand early symbolic behaviour and the spread of clay use in prehistory.

## Timeline

- 2026-11-11: Study reported in Science News coverage based on phys.org article

## Coverage

- [Symbolic clay figurines change our understanding of the prehistoric Middle East](https://phys.org/news/2026-11-clay-figurines-prehistoric-middle-east.html) — Science News - Mathematics, Economics, Archaeology, Fossils, 2026-11-11

Tags: archaeology, prehistory, middle east, clay figurines, symbolism

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Brief generated by AI (claude-haiku-5-5) from the reporting listed under Coverage. Headlines belong to their publishers. The Morning Science – https://themorning.science