There's evidence & speculation that there MIGHT have been a rear stabilizer but that it may have fallen off and been destroyed over the years. The stranger thing is that a larger scale model was made and the aerodynamics were astonishing. Also, the way the wings were constructed are very similar to modern aeronautical engineering with the inward sides of the wings being heavier in width that the outward sides of the wings.
As I see it, there is no right or wrong answer at this point, but the model does fly and very well, at that.
I would like to compare the bird to the drawings found from the early Hindu books on their faith and fables. The millions of baked clay tablets that have so far been translated do have story's and crude drawings of a civilisation that fought wars in flying craft---is this where the flying carpet comes from.?
The head is that of a bird or so it seems and it brings up the figure heads of wild beasts on the ancient ships of war around the globe.
Do we have any water mammals or fish with that tail design ?
Is this beautiful whatever the heck it is, any possibility of it being constructed on the eyewitnesses to flying fish from ancient mariners.?
The artifact is in such good shape I wonder if it could have been a toy, few childhood toys will survive a child's childhood especially one that may have been lobed off a roof to "fly".
I would not put anything past any Archaeologist from ---"salting the mine''
In the Ancient world symbolism was in everything, we can only put our own today's life interpretation on things from the past. The AUNK has fascinated me for years,
Then those darn clay jars with copper wire found by the ton in some places, with some vinegar could this cause some kind of spark, ancient battery's??
The pyramids, the big one is dated on the fact that when a stone was removed the word KUFU was painted behind it. How do we know that at the time of the building Kufu was not as common as Smith today and a laborer did not get board waiting for material and do a Killroy was here?
BUNK, I cannot believe that the at the time society built that thing, I believe the other pyramids the lopsided ones were the attempt to replicate the big one.
What fun to speculate on the past and its mystery's. Somewhere out in the mid west there is a rune carved in ancient Viking symbols. Fraud our scientist yell, yet who had the time, money or knowledge to pull this off?
Big money to be had looking for the Lock Nessi Monster, even today after 2 men both college students on their death bed admitted they faked the photos, told how they did it, as a joke that took off beyond their wildest dreams. They left documents giving details of the Hoax but human nature causes people to need to face the non- reality and still look for something that is not there.