Venus of Hohle Fels
Sculpture; zoomorphic/anthropomorphic figurine • Anonymous prehistoric hunter-gatherer (Aurignacian culture)
Style & Movement
Upper Paleolithic / Prehistoric Art
Medium & Technique
Mammoth ivory; hand-carved using stone tools (lithic flakes/burins) with incised surface details
Creation Period
Upper Paleolithic, Aurignacian period, approximately 35,000–40,000 years ago
Dimensions & Format
Approximately 60 mm height, 34 mm width, 31 mm thickness; diminutive pendant format
Subject Description
A highly stylized female figure emphasizing fertility and reproductive features, including oversized breasts and vulva. The head is replaced by a perforated ring (pendant loop), and the limbs are shortened. It likely serves as a symbolic fertility charm or ritual object.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good (considering age); structurally stable with some restoration of fragments found in situ
Estimated Market Value
Inestimable / National Treasure (Not for commercial sale)
Auction Estimate
N/A (Cultural heritage item protected by law)
Provenance History
Discovered in 2008 in the Hohle Fels cave, Schelklingen, Germany; currently held in the Prehistoric Museum of Blaubeuren (Urgeschichtliches Museum Blaubeuren)
Art Historical Significance
One of the oldest known examples of undisputed figurative art and the oldest depiction of a human female in the archaeological record; redefined understanding of early Upper Paleolithic symbolic behavior.
Notable Features
Perforated protrusion at the top suggesting it was worn as a pendant; horizontal incisions on the torso likely representing clothing or ritual scars; absence of a realistic head or feet.
Condition Issues
Deep longitudinal and transverse cracks (shrinkage of ivory over millennia); fragmented state upon discovery with subsequent reassembly; significant mineralization and staining.
Conservation Recommendations
Strict climate-controlled environment with regulated humidity (45-55%) and temperature; UV-filtered lighting; display in high-security, vibration-proof case.