This valley is one of the many important Stone Age sites in and around the commune of Les Eyzies-de-Tayac-Sireuil in Dordogne, southwestern France. It was found in 1864 by Paul Hurault, 8th Marquis de Vibraye at Laugerie-Basse in the Vézère valley. The Vénus impudique, which was the figurine that gave the whole category its name, was the first Palaeolithic sculptural representation of a woman to be discovered in modern times. 5 Later female figurines and continuity.There are widely varying and speculative interpretations of their use or meaning: they have been seen as religious figures, an expression of health and fertility, grandmother goddesses, or as self-depictions by female artists.

It has frequently been suggested that they may have served a ritual or symbolic function. The original cultural meaning and purpose of these artefacts is not known. Depictions of hairstyles can be detailed, and especially in Siberian examples, clothing or tattoos may be indicated. Various figurines exaggerate the abdomen, hips, breasts, thighs, or vulva, although many found examples do not reflect these typical characteristics. Arms and feet are often absent, and the head is usually small and faceless. Most have wide hips and legs that taper to a point. These figurines are recognised as some of the earliest works of prehistoric art. In total, over 200 such figurines are known virtually all of modest size, between about 3 and 40 cm (1.2 and 15.7 in) in height. The latter are among the oldest ceramics known to historians. Such figurines were carved from soft stone (such as steatite, calcite or limestone), bone or ivory, or formed of clay and fired. However, findings are not limited to this period for example, the Venus of Hohle Fels dates back at least 35,000 years to the Aurignacian era, and the Venus of Monruz dates back about 11,000 years to the Magdalenian. Most date from the Gravettian period (26,000–21,000 years ago). Most have been unearthed in Europe, but others have been found as far away as Siberia, and distributed across much of Eurasia. Venus of Hohle Fels, the earliest Venus figurineĪ Venus figurine is any Upper Palaeolithic statuette portraying a woman, usually carved in the round.

Artifact tattoo