Knowra Venus figurine Venus figurine A prehistoric statuette, usually depicting a female figure, made in Europe and parts of Asia during the Upper Paleolithic and later periods. These objects vary widely in material, form, and archaeological context.
Venus of Willendorf : A small Upper Paleolithic limestone figurine discovered in Austria and dated to about 29,500 years ago. Its rounded body and distinctive carved details make it the best-known example.
Prehistoric art : Art and image-making produced before written historical records. Venus figurines belong to a broader record of prehistoric image-making across media.
Upper Paleolithic : The later part of the Paleolithic, beginning roughly 50,000 years ago and ending with the last Ice Age. Many European Venus figurines were made during this period.
Paleolithic : The prehistoric period characterized by the use of stone tools, preceding the Neolithic. The figurines’ earliest examples belong to this broad archaeological period.
Paleolithic cave art : Paintings, engravings, and drawings made on walls and ceilings in Paleolithic caves and rock shelters. Unlike cave imagery, figurines are portable objects that can be examined from multiple sides.
Venus of Hohle Fels : An ivory female figurine from Germany’s Swabian Jura, dating to at least 35,000 years ago. It is among the oldest known human figurines and differs sharply from later examples.
Mother goddess hypothesis : The claim that prehistoric female images represent a widespread goddess or organized goddess religion. This once-popular reading is not established by the figurines alone.
Gravettian : A European Upper Paleolithic archaeological culture dating approximately 33,000 to 22,000 years ago. Several famous figurines come from Gravettian sites and traditions.
Radiocarbon dating : A method for estimating the age of organic materials by measuring radioactive carbon-14. It dates associated organic remains, though stone and ivory objects may require contextual dating.
Paleolithic animal art : Images of animals made by Paleolithic people on portable objects and cave surfaces. Animal images offer a major comparison for interpreting the figurines’ subjects and emphasis.
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