Helan Mountain in China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region boasts over 20,000 rock paintings, dating back thousands of years, offering a unique glimpse into the lives, beliefs, and artistic traditions of early nomadic peoples who inhabited northern China. These intricate carvings depict hunting, herding, and rituals, showcasing a vibrant culture that continues to captivate visitors today.
The Lion Man, a 40,000-year-old ivory statuette found in Germany, was once considered the oldest known depiction of a therianthrope, a part-human, part-animal figure. However, newly discovered rock art in Indonesia has pushed back the origins of this concept by over 10,000 years, suggesting that humans were engaging in complex religious practices much earlier than previously thought.
