An Upper Paleolithic (16,000-14,000 years ago) archaeological site in Poland called Wilczyce includes several examples of Lalinde/Gönnersdorf figurines, a type of Venus Figurine.
Female figurines from Wilczyce, Poland. 1-8, flint, 9, ivory, 10, bone. Drawing Ewa Guminska (from Fiedorczuk et al. 2007.
Image Credit: Antiquity Publications Ltd, Drawing by Ewa Guminska
Excavations at the site reported in Antiquity this month revealed that although some figurines at the site were carved from bone and ivory, several others were flintknapped, chipped from local cherts.
Similar to the Upper Paleolithic tool known as 'strangled blades' (but clearly unused) these Venus figurine variations are the oldest anthropomorphic chipped stone art by 10,000 years; the next oldest are from Hierankonpolis in Egypt or the Kargopol Culture in Russia. The possibility of other, unidentified objects may be in collections; recently what appears to be a chipped stone horse was recovered from the Etioles Upper Paleolithic site in France.
Related Resources: Venus Figurines Upper Paleolithic Wilcyzce, Poland
Female figurines from Wilczyce, Poland. 1-8, flint, 9, ivory, 10, bone. Drawing Ewa Guminska (from Fiedorczuk et al. 2007.
Image Credit: Antiquity Publications Ltd, Drawing by Ewa Guminska
Similar to the Upper Paleolithic tool known as 'strangled blades' (but clearly unused) these Venus figurine variations are the oldest anthropomorphic chipped stone art by 10,000 years; the next oldest are from Hierankonpolis in Egypt or the Kargopol Culture in Russia. The possibility of other, unidentified objects may be in collections; recently what appears to be a chipped stone horse was recovered from the Etioles Upper Paleolithic site in France.
Related Resources: Venus Figurines Upper Paleolithic Wilcyzce, Poland
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