Venus figurine facts for kids

Venus figurines are small statues of women made a very long time ago, during the Upper Paleolithic (Stone Age) period. Most were found in Europe, but some have been discovered far away in Siberia and other parts of Eurasia.

These figurines are usually between 3 and 40 centimeters (about 1 to 16 inches) tall. They are recognized as some of the earliest examples of prehistoric art.

Most Venus figurines were made during the Gravettian period, about 26,000 to 21,000 years ago. However, some are much older, like the Venus of Hohle Fels, which is at least 35,000 years old. Others are more recent, such as the Venus of Monruz, from about 11,000 years ago.

Artists carved these figurines from soft stones like steatite (soapstone), calcite, or limestone. They also used bone or ivory. Some were even made from clay and baked, making them some of the oldest ceramic objects known.

Many of these statues have wide hips and legs that become narrow at the bottom. Often, they do not have arms or feet. The head is usually small and does not show a face. Some figurines have very detailed hairstyles, and some even show signs of clothing or tattoos.

We do not know the original meaning or purpose of these ancient artworks. People often think they were used for special ceremonies or had a symbolic meaning. There are many ideas about what they meant. Some believe they were religious figures, symbols of health and fertility, or even self-portraits by female artists.

Finding Ancient Art: How Venus Figurines Were Discovered

The first Palaeolithic statue of a woman found in modern times was the Vénus impudique. This figurine gave the whole group of statues their name. It was discovered in 1864 by Paul Hurault, 8th Marquis de Vibraye. He found it at Laugerie-Basse in the Vézère valley, France. This valley is famous for its many important Stone Age sites.

Most Venus figurines have been found where ancient people lived, both in caves and in open-air sites. The Magdalenian Venus from Laugerie-Basse is missing its head, feet, and arms.

A few years later, Salomon Reinach wrote about some soapstone figurines found in the caves of Balzi Rossi. The famous Venus of Willendorf was dug up in 1908 in Austria. Since then, hundreds of similar figurines have been found from the Pyrenees Mountains to the plains of Siberia.

In September 2008, archaeologists from the University of Tübingen found a 6-centimeter (about 2.4-inch) figurine. It was carved from a mammoth's tusk. This figurine was named the Venus of Hohle Fels. It is at least 35,000 years old. It is the oldest known sculpture of its kind and the earliest known example of figurative art (art that shows real objects).

Why Are They Called "Venus" Figurines?

These ancient female figurines are called "Venus figurines" because of Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty. The name was first used in the mid-1800s by the Marquis de Vibraye. He found an ivory figurine and called it La Vénus impudique, meaning "immodest Venus." He compared it to a famous Greek-Roman statue of Venus covering her body.

In the early 1900s, many scholars thought these figurines showed an ancient idea of beauty. However, today, many archaeologists and palaeoanthropologists disagree about what the figures mean. Many also dislike the name "Venus" because there is no real link between these ancient statues and the Roman goddess.

The name is just a comparison. We do not know the exact cultural meaning of these figures. Archaeologists guess they might symbolize safety, success, fertility, or a mother goddess. These female figures are part of Upper Palaeolithic art, specifically a type called portable art because they could be carried around.

What Do Venus Figurines Look Like?

Most Venus figurines show women and follow the art styles of their time. Many have a similar body shape, with the widest part at the stomach. The female body parts related to reproduction are often made larger. Other details, like the head and arms, are sometimes left out or made very simple. The heads are often small and do not have faces. Some figurines might show pregnant women, while others do not.

The Venus of Willendorf and the Venus of Laussel (which is a carving on rock) have traces of red ochre on them. We are not sure why this red color was used. However, some ancient human bodies have also been found covered in red ochre. This suggests the color had an important meaning in their culture, even if we do not know what it was.

All the accepted Palaeolithic female figurines come from the Upper Palaeolithic period. While they were first thought to be from the Aurignacian culture, most are now linked to the Gravettian and Solutrean cultures. During these times, the rounder figurines were most common. In the later Magdalenian cultures, the figures became more detailed and delicate. Their styles also started to look similar in areas that were close to each other.

Notable Venus Figurines

Images for kids

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  Fertility figurine of the Halaf culture, Mesopotamia, 6000-5100 BCE. Louvre.

See Also

• List of Stone Age art
• Jōmon Venus
• Matriarchal religion
• When God Was a Woman
• Feminine beauty ideal