The lion man is believed to be the oldest artistic representation of God

When did man first believe in God? Or gods? If some scientists' interpretation of an ice age figure found in a cave in Germany are correct, then there might not be an age where humanity did not believe in the existence of a divinity,

In 1939 in a cave in Germany archaeologists found the rarest of relics. The figurine of a cave lion (a now extinct species of mane less lion common to Eurasia in the Ice Age) with human characteristic was carved from an ivory tusk 40,000 years ago. Man did not have metal tools at that time, thus carving the figurine was an extremely difficult task for the Ice Age hunter/artist who performed this work – likely with only tools of stone and flint.

Some scientists do not believe that this was simply a child's toy or a nicknack cluttering the caveman's space. The enormous amount of time and craftsmanship it took to make this unique carving hints at the importance that the ancient craftsman put into the work. They believe that the lion-man took its creator about 400 hours of work to create. Carved from a mammoth tusk it is the oldest piece of figurative art yet discovered. There are other carvings that date to this period – modern man's first forays into Europe, including one of a woman and representations of animals. Jewelry was worn by humans in this era and several examples of necklaces with bear claws, beads, and other items have been found from this early period of prehistory. A cave lion figurine was found in the Denisova, Russia cave that was occupied by three different human species over the eons.

The cave lion is the ultimate apex predator and the first humans in Europe likely interacted at kill sites where both wanted the same carcass. They also would have competed for space in caves as avoiding the intense cold of the ice age winters was a prime survival tactic. They were related to modern lions, but larger. They are the largest cats known to have existed (saber tooth tigers being of a different lineage). The largest cave lions weighed approximately 882 pounds. Based on their build, scientists estimate that the cave lion was the fastest of the lion species – with speeds as fast as 30 miles per hour being possible in a short burst. They are their own genetically distinct species and once ranged from Europe to Asia to North America. The first cave lion fossils were found in a cave in Germany in 1810. Cave lions preyed on deer, reindeer, and cave bear cubs. They went extinct around 13,000 years ago. Cave lion images are frequently painted on the walls of caves by both Neanderthal and modern humans.

A man with the size, teeth, and the power of a cave lion certainly would have seemed godlike to paleolithic man. The lion-man sculpture is housed in the British Museum.

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