the women of prehistory

THE WOMEN OF PREHISTORY

The development of the art of the female figure and the

role of the woman through Paleolithic and Neolithic art.

Click here to continue

A R T 1 0 2 0 - H I S T O R Y O F A R T I N E A R L Y C I V I L I Z A T I O N

A Guided Tour by:

Sarah Wade


MAP OF PALEOLITHIC ART IN PREHISTORIC EUROPE


THE VENUS FIGURES


THE VENUS FIGURES

In Archaeology, the term “Venus figurine” refers to any of the mobile art

sculptures of the female form created in the Paleolithic era from about 35,000

– 20,000 BCE. (Collins) These figures have been unearthed in locations

throughout Europe and despite the distance between discoveries and variety

of materials used they all bare a remarkable similarity to each other.

Each figurine emphasizes the fertility and reproductive organs of the female

form to the exclusion of detail in the face, arms and legs.

This similarity in emphasis indicates that the role of the woman in Paleolithic

times was that of fertility, mothering and childbirth; which were all crucial to

the survival of the people.


THE VENUS OF WILLENDORF

c. 25,000 BCE

Limestone

Willendorf, Austria

The Venus of Willendorf,

discovered in Willendorf,

Austria, remains the most widely

known of all the Venus figure.

The enlarged breasts, prominent

sexual organs and lack of

remaining features became the

standard for defining a Venus

statue. The woven basket like

pattern over the head is also

common in other Venuses.


THE VENUS OF SAVIGNANO

C 25,000 BCE

Serpentine (stone)

Savignano, Italy

Discovered in Italy, this Venus

figure displays less human like

features than the Willendorf

Venus but still retains the same

enlarged features that classify it

as a Venus. The lack of the basket

weave head sets this piece apart.


THE VENUS OF KOSTENSKI

c.23,000 - 21,000 BCE

Limestone

Kostenski, Russia

This Russian Venus bares an uncanny

resemblance to the Venus of Willendorf.

The shapes and textures are similar

and even the head has a similar basket

weave texture. It bares the same tell

tale Venus figurine emphasis on the

reproductive organs indicating that this

too may have been a fertility talisman.


THE VENUS OF DOLNI VESTONICE

c. ~24,000 BCE

Ceramic

Dolni Vestonice, Czechoslovakia

The Venus of Dolni Vestonice is the

oldest ceramic Venus discovered.

Until the set this figurine was

discovered in all of the Venuses in

other regions had been made of

stone, bone or ivory. This piece was

fired in a rudimentary prehistoric

kiln. (Lienhard)


A NEW LOOK

The Goddesses of the Neolithic period


MAP OF NEOLITHIC GODDESSES


SEATED GODDESS CATAL

HUYUKC 5,700 BCE.

Baked Clay

Catal Huyuk, Turkey

The Neolithic goddess figurines

tended to have more facial features

than their predecessors with more

prominent arms and legs and

appeared to more closely resemble

the human figure, such as this piece,

the seated goddess discovered in

Anatolia’s Catal Huyuk.


MINOAN SNAKE GODDESS

c. 1700 - 1600 BCE

Ivory and Gold

Crete, Greece

The Minoan snake goddess

discovered in Crete is quite possibly

one of the most detailed and

exquisite pieces of goddess art from

the Neolithic period. It’s attention to

detail surpasses all other Neolithic

goddesses and is one of the only

figures to appear in clothing.


WORKS CITED

"Catal Hoyuk, Turkey." Ancient-Wisdom - Online Guide to Prehistory.. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb.

2011. <http://www.ancient-wisdom.co.uk/turkeycatalhuyuk.htm>.

Collins, Neil, Karina Collins, and Ãine Ni Muireadhaigh . "Venus Figurines of Prehistoric Art: �Carvings of Obese Female: Willendorf, Dolni Vestonice: History, Dates, Photos." Irish Art:

Encyclopedia of Visual Arts in Ireland: History of Painting, Sculpture, Printmaking: Greatest

Artists, Best Museums, Art Movements. Collins, Neil, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2011. <http://www.visual-

arts-cork.com/prehistoric/venus-figurines.htm>.

Hitchcock, Don. "Venus figures from Dolni Vestonice, Pavlov, Brno, Predmost and Surrounding

Areas." Don's Maps - Paleolithic / Paleolithic European, Russian and Australian Archaeology /

Archeology . N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.donsmaps.com/dolnivenus.html>.

Hitchcock, Don. "Venus figures from Russia, the Ukraine and sites East of the Donau mouth."

Don's Maps - Paleolithic / Paleolithic European, Russian and Australian Archaeology / Archeology .

N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.donsmaps.com/ukrainevenus.html>.


WORKS CITED CONT.

Hitchcock, Don. "Venus figures from the Stone Age." Don's Maps - Paleolithic /

Paleolithic European, Russian and Australian Archaeology / Archeology . N.p., n.d.

Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://www.donsmaps.com/venus.html>.

Lienhard, John. "No. 359: The Dolni Vestonice Ceramics ." University of Houston.

N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. <http://uh.edu/engines/epi359.htm>.

Witcombe, Christopher. "Women in the Aegean: Minoan Snake Goddess: 6. Snake

Goddesses on Crete." Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2011.

<http://witcombe.sbc.edu/snakegoddess/crete.html>.

Witcombe, Christopher. "Venus of Willendorf: 5. Earth Mother - Mother Goddess."

Christopher L. C. E. Witcombe. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2011.

<http://witcombe.sbc.edu/willendorf/willendorfgoddess.html>.

Click here to end presentation

the women of prehistory

Art & Photos

venus of willendorf

willendorf venus

venus figures

venus of kostenski

russian venus

venus statue

venus of dolni vestonice

venus of savignano c