Venus of Menton

Venus of Menton

The Venus of Menton is a Venus figurine carved from yellow steatite found at Grimaldi at a depth of 4.2 to 4.7 metres. It is 47mm long and is dated to between 24,000-19000 BP. It was found in the 1880s in the Barma Grande and acquired by Salomon Reinach in 1896 for the National Archaeological Museum. They were acquired by the museum in 1896, when Louis Alexandre Jullien sold it to Salomon Reinach.

Appearance

The figure is naked and the breasts, abdomen and buttocks are prominent; the pubis and vulva are well marked. The arms are fused with the bust. The head is in the form of a ball, and extends down the back via a queue of hair down the back. The legs finish above the knees, and no ochre has been found on the figure.