New York - A tiny and extremely rare 5,000-year-old white limestone sculpture from ancient Mesopotamia sold for 57.2 million dollars, smashing records for both sculpture and antiquities.

The carved Guennol Lioness, measuring (3 1/4 inches) tall, was described by Sotheby's auction house as one of the last known masterworks from the dawn of civilization.

The Guennol Lioness was created around 5,000 years ago, around the same time as the first known use of the wheel, in the region of ancient Mesopotamia.

The figure depicts a standing lioness looking over her left shoulder, her paws clenched in front of her muscular chest.

Experts have speculated that the figure may have played a role in some ancient belief system or mythology in Mesopotamia, which today lies in parts of modern day Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran.
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