Whoever she was, she had achieved celebrity status.

At Catalhoyuk, an ancient site in central Turkey, archaeologists have discovered a rare stone figurine of a woman about 8,000 years old. Only a handful of statuettes of the era have been found in one piece.

The figurine was found beneath a platform with a piece of obsidian, which suggests that it may have been placed there as part of some ritual.

Such figurines are often thought of as fertility goddesses. The archaeologists, however, suggest the object represents older women who have achieved status.