by Mia Taylor
Last updated: 9:00 AM ET, Tue August 29, 2017
Six caves in Germany containing artifacts from the last Ice Age have been awarded World Heritage status by UNESCO.
Among the items discovered in the caves were carved figurines of animals such as cave lions, mammoths, horses and bovids, musical instruments and items of personal adornment, according to the UNESCO website.
The items are believed to be between 33,000 and 43,000 years old, making them some of the oldest figurative art worldwide, according to the UN cultural agency.
Modern humans first arrived in Europe 43,000 years ago. One of the areas where they took up residence was southern Germany's Swabian Jura, where the caves are located.
Altogether, about 50 artifacts-mainly composed of bone and ivory-have been found in the caves, which have been excavated since the 1860s.
Other items discovered in Germany's 42nd World Heritage site, includes flutes made from vulture bone, a phallus made from siltstone, and a zoomorphic carving known as "Lion man"-the oldest undisputed example of figurative art ever discovered, CNN reported.
A six-centimeter-tall mammoth ivory sculpture that was uncovered is among the oldest known depiction of a human being.
[READMORE]READ MORE: New UNESCO Sites We Can't Wait to Visit[/READMORE]
All of the items were carved using stone implements, some of which were also found at the site. According to CNN, few of the tools are more than 60,000 years old.
The discoveries are helping historians understand human development.
Additional artifacts from the era can be viewed at various museums in Germany, including in the permanent Stone Age exhibition of the Landesmuseum Württemberg in Stuttgart, according to Lonely Planet.
The Prehistoric Museum Blaubeuren showcases items from the Paleolithic period as well. Tourists can also explore some of the caves where the artifacts were found via guided tours.
Sites given World Heritage status have been recognized as having special cultural, physical or historical significance.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
