“New” Goddess Figure Puts in Appearance at Symposium

When ASWM members met in Madison, WI, on the morning of May 14, we could feel  excitement buzzing in the room even before the presentations started.  Several women had just heard about the discovery of a Paleolithic goddess figure in Germany, and they were sharing her image on their phones and computers!

The Paleolithic Hohle Fels Figure

The story and image of the Hohle Fels figure hit the media just as we were meeting.  Carbon dating suggests that this ivory goddess was made at least 35,000 years ago, making her one of the oldest sculpted representations of the human figure.

Among sensationalized and sexist accounts in the media, here is one well-written article from the Science Daily web site:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514084126.htm