A Birch Bark Tar Figurine from the Pulli Settlement Site in Estonia

The oldest art objects in the Eastern Baltic region date back to theMesolithic period, while portable figurines are only known from thesecond half of the 7th millennium BC. These figurines, made of bone orantler, are rare. Our article focuses on a unique zoomorphic birch barktar figurine discovered at the Pulli settlement site (8950–8300 BC). Acomprehensive analysis was conducted, complementing previouslypublished chemical analyses. The methods included microscopicexamination of surface treatment traces, direct radiocarbon dating,3D scanning, photogrammetry, and computed tomography. Theresults indicate that the figurine’s shape was deliberately formedthrough intentional scraping or planing, particularly in the neck andhead areas. Preservatives used on the figurine penetrated throughdeep cracks, influencing the outcomes of chemical and radiocarbonanalyses. This artefact, probably representing a seal, has no knownanalogues among the hunter-fisher-gatherer art of the Mesolithicperiod (9000–6000/2800 BC) in the European forest zone. It is probablythe oldest portable figurine from the Eastern Baltic region.