Really not trying to pee on anybody's parade, but WHY haven't they carbon dated the figurine itself instead of just estimating it's age by the age of the material at the same level?
I think the subject matter is fascinating, but for all I know, that damn statue has Made In Taiwan stamped on it's...
The dating was done early on, before the RC equipment now in use, so much of the artifact would have been destroyed in the process of dating it. :’) Probably in the next few years it will be directly dated, and as with the cave paintings will be found to be at least as old as 32K BP.