35,000 Year Old Venus Figure Found

This tiny statuette dubbed the Venus of Hohle Fels was uncovered in September in a cave in southwestern Germany, near Ulm and the Danube headwaters. The small figurine of a woman is exciting the world of art and archaeology because previously the Paleolithic era only has only shown us examples of art depicting drawings being of mammoths, horses, and other animals. The figure is approximately 2.5 inches long and carved from ivory.

Other images of voluptuous female figures with pronounced genitals have been found and much debated amongst scholars, such as the Venus of Willendorf, c.26,000 BCE, carved limestone (above); but, none as old as this newest figurine that is being dated approximately c.33,000 BCE. Prominent scholars in the field, like Dr. Mellars, are concluding that these current finds (like the Venus of Hohle Fels) will rapidly change our point of view on the history of art and European civilizations. In the NY Times, he is quoted as saying that these sites "must be seen as the birthplace of true sculpture in the European — maybe global — artistic tradition.”

For more on this, I suggest reading the Times article, checking out images, and even some video here: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/14/science/14venus.html.

May inspiration and creativity be with you!