Museum complex

Female statuette

Upper Paleolithic
Kostenky-Avdeevo Culture
Mammoth tusk
6,2 х 3,3 cm
Receipt: excavations under the supervision of L. M. Tarasov, 1983
Showcase 1

The figure of a naked woman with sharply, almost caricature emphasized features of gender: massive breasts, huge belly and large thighs. The buttocks are very broad and flattened. The legs are tightly clenched. Hands are pressed to the body and lowered along the belly. The head and the lower part of legs of the statuette are lost. This type of image, quite typical for European small anthropomorphic plastics, it is called "Paleolithic Venus". In profile the figure looks straight, probably it was supposed to be placed vertically or dug in. Sometimes there are images whose pose could be called sitting. Female sculptures could have represented the image of a mythical ancestor, the mother of nature. At the same time, they could have been a symbol of home as a center of the universe – vital for ancient communities that lived in harsh climates.
Functional purpose: they could have been talismans that protect and bring good luck, symbols of fertility.
Notice of uniqueness: unique finds, as female figurines at sites of the Late Paleolithic are extremely rare.

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