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Venus figures from Petersfels
The Petersfels site near Engen, Germany. The fence above the cave defines the edge of a walking trail.
Photo: Bernhard Kalemba, via Panoramio
Petersfels Venus, made of jet. This is the most well known of the Petersfels Venus figures.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
Venus figurines made of jet, from Petersfels, Engen, Germany, some with holes for use as pendants.
Ca 15 000 BP
Photo: Yonne Mühleis, LAD, © Archäologisches Landesmuseum Baden-Württemberg
Source: http://www.nationalgeographic.de/aktuelles/ausstellungen/landesausstellung-eiszeit-kunst-und-kultur?imageId=2
Map of the Engen and Petersfels area.
1- Petersfels
2 - Gnirshöhle
M - Engen Municipal Museum and Gallery, Städtisches Museum Engen + Galerie
Photo: http://www.engen.de/petersfels/anreise.htm
Small Petersfels Venus.
Size: 15 mm
Material: Jet
Source: Museum Freiburg
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
A range of Petersfels Venuses, all with the same general shape
Photo: Drössler (1967)
Two of the Petersfels venuses.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
Petersfels site, near Engen in Germany.
One of the most important Palaeolithic sites in Central Europe with an enormous number of important artefacts.
It was a settlement site of the Magdalenian (late Upper Paleolithic), with many layers, towards the end of the last ice age, during the period 15 500-14 000 years BP.
The main activity here was reindeer hunting in autumn.
Excavations from 1927 to 1932 by E. Peters and from 1974 to 1979 by G. Albert.
Photo: herba, via Panoramio
Text: Adapted from http://www.engen.de/petersfels/anreise.htm
Map of the Petersfels walking trail
Photo: Conquistador via Panoramio
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
Excavations in the 1970s confirmed that this area was an important one for ice age hunters, as it formed a narrow corridor for the migration of reindeer in autumn.
As well as the venus figures, tools and one and a half tons of animal bones were excavated. It was decided to try to recreate the environment of the people who once hunted reindeer here.
Archaeologists from the University of Tuebingen recreated the Archaeobotany of Tübingen and Hohenheim: the forest at Petersfels was cleared, and in its place, late-glacial vegetation landscape of tundra steppe was reconstructed, including an artificial bog in front of the Petersfels site.
The area was dedicated in 2003 as the 'Engen Ice Age Park' and thus was created the 'Late ice age landscape experience.'
The park is open all year round free of charge and is easily accessible.
Text above translated and adapted from:
http://www.outdooractive.com/de/themenweg/bodensee-oberschwaben/eiszeitpark-engen/-5892442703021447353/beschreibung.html
Statue on the Petersfels walking trail.
Photo: Hardy Berchmann via Panoramio
The Petersfels site has yielded other jewellery besides venus figures.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
The 'Venus of Engen' or 'Frauenidol von Engen', bears a remarkable resemblance to the Venus of Neuchâtel, especially since it is also made of jet. This important find from Petersfels can be seen in the Städtischen Museum Engen + Galerie. The date given is 15 000 BP. The height is 38 mm.
This venus was found during the excavations of 1927 and 1928, and the highly stylised figure is determined to be female just from the very expansive buttocks.
Photo: (left) Marshack (1972)
Photo: (right) © Archäologisches Landesmuseum Baden-Württemberg
Text: adapted from: http://www.engen.de/england/venus.htm
Petersfels Venus, or 'Venus of Engen' or 'Frauenidol von Engen', the same as in the two photos above. This is the one which was used as the basis for the large white statue on the Petersfels walking trail.
Size: 40 mm (note that other sources say 38 mm)
Material: Jet, a type of hard black coal.
Source: Museum Freiburg
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
Another venus from Petersfels, also called the 'Venus of Engen' or 'Frauenidol von Engen'.
Also 15 000 BP, and made of jet, height 30 mm.
This slim sculpture was recovered from the Petersfels excavations in 1932.
Photo: © Archäologisches Landesmuseum Baden-Württemberg
The same Petersfels Venus as above.
30 mm
Made of jet.
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
Source: Freuburg Museum
Two Petersfels venuses, as above.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
Petersfels Venus.
33 mm
Made from reindeer antler
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
Source: Singen Museum
Petersfels Venus.
90 mm
This venus figurine was not completed.
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
Source: Singen Museum
Petersfels venus, 10 cm high.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
The Petersfels walking trail, with points of interest well signposted. The statue above may be discerned in the lower centre of this image. The site itself is below the man in the orange shirt, hidden by the steep slope.
Photo: engenfotoshot via Panoramio
Small Petersfels Venus.
Size: 13 mm
Material: Jet
Source: Museum Sammlung Engen
Photo: Müller-Beck and Albrecht (1987)
Jet figures from Petersfels.
Engen-Bittelbrunn, Petersfelshole
District of Konstanz
Upper Palaeolithic, approximately 14 000 BP.
Left:
Pendant
These small stylised representations of women with strongly emphasised buttocks are found especially at Petersfels, but similar copies have survived at other Upper Paleolithic sites.
The hole at the top of the piece indicates that it could have served as a pendant or could have been sewn onto clothing.
inv - No, 96/206
Centre Left:
This little beetle (seen by most experts now to be a hedgehog - Don ) is fully sculptured, and is transversely pierced. It could have been used as a pendant or served to decorate clothing.
Inv No Dep 2008/4
Right:
These two highly stylised figurines probably show women, but for whom the neck, breasts and waist are only hinted at.
Perhaps these pieces were sewn onto clothes.
Inv No Dep 2008/5-6
Photo: R., 2012
Source and text: Museum of Karlsruhe.
Hedgehog from Petersfels.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
Stylised venus from Petersfels in jet. This Magdalenian object appears to be the same piece as on the far right, above.
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
Botfly larva carved in jet.
It would seem that the humans in these times suffered sometimes from botfly larvae. They cause discomfort, but are not dangerous.
Skilled healers in third world countries can manipulate the larva which is under the skin, then squeeze it so that it pops out.
This carving in jet is not from Petersfels. it is from the 'Kleine Scheuer im Rosenstein bei Heubach'.
Some say it is a botfly larva, others that it depicts a marine snail.
Photo: Adam et al. (1980)
Reindeer Botfly
Müller-Beck et al. (1987) say that the carving in jet above is a reindeer botfly.
Photo: http://inpractice.bmj.com/content/32/10/462/F3.large.jpg
Reindeer botfly larva from Kesslerloch, Magdalenian.
(or human botfly larva, see the photos below. Note that botflies are also known as warble flies and gadflies - Don )
Photo: Rau et al. (2009)
Human Botfly
Size: 13 mm
Two third larval instars of the human bot fly Dermatobia hominis (ca 13 mm …)
Photo: http://otm.oxfordmedicine.com/cgi/content-nw/full/5/1/med-9780199204854-chapter-712-a/FIG712013
The Brudertal, or Brother Valley, in which Petersfels is located. The site may be seen in the right centre of the image.
Photo: herba via Panoramio.
Tools for drilling holes, from Petersfels.
Photo: R, 2012
Source: Museum of Karlsruhe
Pierced shells and shark teeth from Petersfels.
Photo: R, 2012
Source: Museum of Karlsruhe
Bone tools from Petersfels, including awls and needles for sewing.
Photo: R, 2012
Source: Museum of Karlsruhe
Stichel, or burins, from Petersfels. These were used for engraving, and also for repeatedly scoring bone until a tool could be separated from the substrate in the desired shape.
Photo: R, 2012
Source: Museum of Karlsruhe
Tools made of quartz from Petersfels. Quartz was a highly desirable raw material, since if it was very pure it had perfect conchoidal fracture, and was easy to make into beautiful tools.
Photo: R, 2012
Source: Museum of Karlsruhe
References
- Adam, K., Kurz, R., 1980: Eiszeitkunst im süddeutschen Raum, Theiss.
- Drössler, R., 1967: Die Venus der Eiszeit Gebundene Ausgabe: 268 Seiten Verlag: Prisma-Verl.; Auflage: [1. - 5. Tsd.] (1967)
- Marshack, A., 1972: The Roots of Civilization: the Cognitive Beginning of Man’s First Art, Symbol and Notation New York, McGraw-Hill
- Müller-Beck, H. and Albrecht, G. (Ed.), 1987: Die Anfänge der Kunst vor 30000 Jahren Theiss: Stuttgart.
- Rau, S., Naumann D., Barth M., Mühleis Y., Bleckmann C., 2009: Eiszeit: Kunst und Kultur, Thorbecke, 2009, 396p. ISBN: 978-3-7995-0833-9