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What are Venus figurines and where have they been found?

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The Venus of Willendorf, a small Upper Paleolithic limestone figurine with exaggerated female features and textured head, displayed against a black background. — Paleolithic Period The Venus of Willendorf, a Upper Paleolithic limestone figurine originally colored with red ochre, 30,000–25,000 bce, found at Willendorf, Lower Austria; in the Natural History Museum, Vienna.

Venus figurines are small, portable human statuettes, primarily female, that first appeared during the Upper Paleolithic Period. It is important to clarify that these prehistoric artifacts are distinct from the Venus de Milo, a much later Hellenistic sculpture from the 2nd century BCE.123

These Paleolithic figures vary in style; some are highly schematic, while others are naturalistic representations of corpulent women with exaggerated secondary sexual characteristics, such as breasts and buttocks. Because facial features, arms, and feet are often neglected, researchers have proposed various interpretations, including that they served as fertility symbols, mother goddesses, protective totems, or even representations of ancestors.21

By the early 21st century, approximately 40 such figures had been found intact or nearly so, with roughly 80 additional fragments identified. A prominent example is the Venus of Willendorf, discovered in 1908 in Willendorf, Austria. Because the material used for the Willendorf figurine was not native to the site, it is believed the object was crafted elsewhere and transported to its final location.1