Upper Paleolithic Culture And Venus Figurines

It is often surprising for new students to comprehend that their distant ancestors had culture. One tends to overlook the social aspects of primeval periods and focus on the broader, more well-known characteristics, such as gathering, hunting, and basic survival. The Upper Paleolithic period had such common features; however, culture was also evident in the way people built their tools, shelters, and even how they created their art.

A standard definition of culture is a shared set of ideals, beliefs, and standards of behavior that are 100% socially learned (Hanratty, 2018). According to Jane Goodall, it is passed from generation to generation not only by being taught but through observation, imitation, and practice as well (Hanratty, 2018). An example of culture is taking off one’s shoes in an Asian household whereas keeping them on in a Westernized home. While humans are believed to be the only ones to have culture, apes and other animals portray behavioral characteristics that are specific to them which suggests they possess aspects of it. Take chimpanzees and bonobos, for instance: chimpanzees are inclined to stay within their community and be violent towards strangers while bonobos are very social and adventurous (Hanratty, 2018). These differences in both humans and animals suggest that culture is universal, albeit different in each scenario, and dates back thousands of years.

The Upper Paleolithic is the later period of the Old Stone Age where “complicated and elaborate technologies and other culturally decorative artifacts” (Scupin, 2016, p. 33) can be found. The innovations during this time allowed modern humans to advance forwards. Tools, in particular, made it easier for Homo sapiens to hunt efficiently and defend themselves against predators. The composite tool, a tool specific to the time period, was also made from multiple materials versus the simple chiseled Oldowan stone (Scupin, 2016, p. 34). Examples of composite tools include a harpoon, which might have a wooden shaft and a spot for stone shards, or a spear with a wooden shaft and stone head. There were, of course, variations in tools and design depending on the region they were made. These regional differences reflected any differences in regard to “culture, ethnicity, and individual expression” (Scupin, 2016, p. 34).

Paleolithic societies lived and traveled in small groups and could be found in all types of environments. Because tools were advanced and many of the environments were abundant in food resources, hunters and foragers didn’t struggle to find food and had much recreational time like contemporary hunter-gatherer societies today. Free time could be spent domesticating canines, sewing, and even making art (Hanratty, 2018). Venus figurines, in particular, could be found all throughout Europe (Scupin, 2016, p. 36). The symbolism behind the sculptors is unclear and anthropologists have debated over their meaning and purpose. Some say they portray the ideal female figure during the Upper Paleolithic period or the appearance of Paleolithic women in general, while others argue that the figurines are merely works of art in their own right or for religious celebrations (Scupin, 2016, p. 36).

Alan F. Dixson and Barnaby J. Dixson (2011) conducted an experiment with a goal of better understanding the purpose of Venus figurines during the Paleolithic time period by comparing Venus figurines to a modern one and collecting results. Their first study was quantitative and consisted of a questionnaire where participants had to decide ratings for the overall age, pregnancy status, and attractiveness of various figurines. The second study was more qualitative, and measurements were based on tracking eye movements and how long a person was fixated on each part of a figurine.

Results for the first study showed a negative correlation between obesity and attractiveness. All but two figurines were categorized as “middle-aged” with one being depicted as “old” and the other as “young”. The figurines also lost in terms of attractiveness against the modern depiction of a woman, whose waist to hip ratio was 2:1:2 while the Venuses were generally 1:2:1. The more obese a figurine was, the less attractive they were in the eyes of the participants. When it came to the pregnancy status of a figurine, three out of fifteen of the images were significantly judged as pregnant while five out of fifteen were nonpregnant.

The second study showed more fixation on the breasts of larger Venus figurines over the modern woman, and the midriff of a medium-sized figurine was more prevalent than a larger figurine and the modern woman. When it came to the face and lower body or pubic region, the modern woman had the highest number of fixations while the medium-sized Venus beat the bigger one. The thigh region and lower legs of the modern woman also attracted more fixations in comparison to the other two.

While it is evident that people of the Upper Paleolithic had culture through archeological evidence and remains, it is difficult to pin point the exact reasons for why early hominids created Venus figurines. Alan Dixson and Barnaby Dixson attempted to arrive at a conclusion and provide insights concerning the significance these figurines. The results of their studies indicated that “Paleolithic Venus figurines… are often rated similar ways, in terms of their perceived reproductive and age status or attractiveness” (Dixson & Dixson, 2011, p. 9). Figurines with waist-to-hip-ratios between specific ranges received higher ratings of attractiveness and that may indicate the possible ideal representation of women during the Upper Paleolithic age. Dixson and Dixson also state the figurines are signs of fertility or “cultural expressions of hope-for success in the very difficult struggle to survive” (Dixson & Dixson, 2011, p. 9) since the climate during that period was very harsh and cold. In summary, they suggest three possible roles of Venus figures: to represent attractive adult females, to represent body changes during pregnancy and act as symbols of fertility, and to symbolize hope for survival.