Use and Meaning of Prehistoric Female Figurines.

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In Prehistoric art, there are different figurines that have been discovered and rescued. The majority of human figurines that were discovered from the Upper Paleolithic period were female figurines. Originally when these female figurines were discovered, they were named after the Roman goddess Venus which represented love and beauty. Since then, they have been renamed to “woman” because the title change has given a new perspective on these figurines. Instead of viewing them just for beauty, now people can view them for their cultural meanings and aspects. This essay will discuss three Prehistoric female figurines and discover what their use and meanings might mean. The first figurine would be the “Woman from Willendorf” originally named the “Venus from Willendorf”. This figurine is from Austria, and is the most famous female figurine. It is mostly recognized from its huge rounded features. The sculptor exaggerated the figure’s female attributes such as breasts, big belly, wide hips, and buttocks. Carving this sculpture with a well-nourished body, the sculptor was expressing health and fertility. This figurine was sculpted top heavy, which means it wasn’t meant to stand straight and may have been carried around and used for rituals. The Woman from Willendorf might also have a social interaction behind its meaning. Studies suggest that the statue and those like it may have been created to show that a clan was friendly and looking to mate with other clans. This would improve socialization between clans and would encourage mating and the continuation of a clan’s survival. The Woman from Willendorf may have even represented women and their portrayal as art historian Leroy McDermott pointed out. The statue has a robust belly with little feet which may mean that pregnant women were the sculptors who based their art on their own bodies. This

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