3. 1
Venus of Hohle Fels
The oldest sculpture of a
human being is so small it
could be hidden in your fist.
Carved out of mammoth ivory,
the 40,000-year-old figurine
clearly represents a woman,
with ballooning breasts and
elaborately carved genitalia.
The head, arms and legs are
merely suggested.
5. 2
The Woman of
Willendorf
This 24,000 years old
female sculpture was
discovered in Austria about
150 km far from Viena.
The 11 cm tall limestone
piece is painted with red
ocher.
6. 3
Venus of Laussel
It was discovered by the
physician Lalanne in
Marquay, France.
This Venus is approxiamtely
20,000 years old.
The relief is 43 cm tall and it
was carved onto limestone
and painted with red ocher.
7. 4
Venus of Kostienki
Venus of Kostienki (Ermitage
Museum, Saint Petersburg).
Discovered in 1908 by Szobarhy
professor, it is considered 23,000
years old. It is a 10 cm tall
limestone statue.
This Venus figure shows the
characteristic pregnancy,
pendulous breasts of many such
statues. The faceless head bends
towards the chest while the arms
are pressed to the body with
hands on the belly.
8. 5
Venus of Lespugue
It is an ivory statue found in
1922 in France. It has been
calculated this Venus is about
20,000 years old. The
sculpture is carved from
mammoth ivory and is 147
mm tall, 60 mm wide and 36
mm thick.
10. 6
Venus
Of
Dolni Vestonice.
The Venus of Dolni
Vestonice is one of the
earliest examples of fired
clay sculptures in the world
(c. 28,000–24,000 BC). It
has four holes in the head,
the function of which is
unknown.
11. 7
Venus of
Brassempouy
Carved in mammoth ivory, she is only 3.65 cm high, 2 cm deep
and 1.9 cm wide. Her triangular face has a forehead, nose and
brows that were carved in relief, but a mouth was not included.
On her head there is a checkerboard-like pattern variously
interpreted as a representation of her hair, a wig, or even a
hood.
