Venus of Renancourt

Paleolithic statuette representing a female figure, dating from around 27,000 years ago

Global Characteristics

Title:

Venus of Renancourt

Place of discovery:

Renancourt district, Amiens (Somme), France

Date:

Upper Paleolithic (circa 27,000 years ago)

Dimensions:

Approximately 4 cm in height and 2 cm in diameter

Materials:

Limestone

Description

Discovered in 2019 in the Renancourt district of Amiens, this statuette belongs to a series of "Venus" figurines produced in a Paleolithic workshop.

Despite its small size, it is the most accomplished of the statuettes discovered at the site to date. Its aesthetic qualities make it an exceptional artifact, bearing witness to the craftsmanship of Upper Paleolithic artisans.

The figurine was carved from a block of soft limestone, probably using flint tools. The features are stylised yet realistic, with meticulous attention to the volumes and curves characteristic of Gravettian mobile art.