A 6,000-year-old temple in Ukraine

Numerous human-like figurines and the remains of sacrificial animals have been discovered in a 6,000-year-old temple at a prehistoric settlement in Ukraine.

The temple in a massive prehistoric settlement in Ukraine. Photo: Nataliya Burdo/Mykhailo Videiko.

The temple was built before the invention of writing. It is located in a prehistoric settlement near present-day Nebelivka, Ukraine. The entire settlement covers 238 hectares, comprising more than 1,200 buildings and nearly 50 streets.

According to Live Science, the temple measures 20 meters wide and 60 meters long. It is a two-story building made of wood and clay, with the upper floor divided into five rooms. Inside the temple, there are remnants of eight clay pedestals, possibly once altars; one pedestal contains many charred sheep bones as sacrificial offerings. The lower floor has a courtyard with many animal bones and pottery fragments.

Many of the statues in the temple resemble human figures. Photo: Nataliya Burdo/Mykhailo Videiko.

"The floors and all the walls in the five rooms on the upper floor were decorated with red paint, creating a ceremonial atmosphere," said Nataliya Burdo and Mykhailo Videiko, two researchers from the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences.

At the archaeological site, the team of experts discovered more fragments of small statues. One of them resembled a human figure but had a pointed, bird-beak-like nose and two different eyes. The bone and gold ornaments at the temple were smaller than 2.54 cm and could be worn in the hair.

Scientists believe the temple and artifacts belong to the ancient Trypillian culture. Trypillian is the name of a village in Ukraine where similar artifacts were first discovered.

According to VnExpress