As said in other comments the artifact is indeed gorgeous, the intricacy of carving stunning. I also agree with the idea that it shows our predecessors were as

As said in other comments the artifact is indeed gorgeous, the intricacy of carving stunning. I also agree with the idea that it shows our predecessors were as intelligent as we are today. Certainly no less "artistic" or creative. Other objects from prior epochs reflect the same levels of intelligence. The astonishing "Venus of Dolní Věstonice" (National Museum in Prague, Czech Republic) [0] is a ceramic piece made ~25-29K years ago. I was privileged to see it about 25 years ago, its patina resembles raku-like ceramics. I've asked myself, how did anyone know how to do this 25K years ago? How did the creator of the piece manage to get the elevated temperature (~750C) needed to make it work? It was the product of intelligence to be sure. Of course there are many other examples of ancient human ingenuity to point to. It's evident our ancestors figured out solutions to problems in surprisingly effective ways. We're smart too, but probably no smarter than those who came before. [0] https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=2493 https://www.historyofinformation.com/detail.php?entryid=2493