After using micro-CT scanning technology to examine the interior of the statue, scientists have made an astonishing discovery.
On August 7, 1908, scientist Johann Veran discovered the ancient statue while participating in an excavation at a Paleolithic site near Willendorf, a village in Austria.
In the 1970s, researchers concluded that it was approximately 20,000 years old. However, after an analysis in 1990 based on the stone layers of the statue, the dating was revised to between 25,000 and 30,000 B.C.
The small statue, measuring 11 cm in length, is carved from a reddish material and depicts the form of a nude woman. The statue is titled “Venus of Willendorf” because ancient people believed it represented fertility.
The material composition of the Venus of Willendorf—a peculiar ancient statue that has puzzled scientists for many years—truly astonishes, indicating that this 30,000-year-old treasure is more valuable than previously thought.
According to Science Alert, previous studies have shown that the Venus of Willendorf was carved in northern Italy and then, for unknown reasons, traveled hundreds of kilometers to Austria, where it was excavated.
Venus of Willendorf – (Photo: Kern, A. & Antl-Weiser)
Standing at only 11 cm tall, the statue’s prominent features have led anthropologists to associate it with a symbol of fertility: exaggerated breasts, genitalia, buttocks, and limbs. The statue also features intricate hair or a cap, despite lacking a face.
The ultimate purpose of the carving remains undetermined, but it is clear that an artifact from the Paleolithic era—estimated to be 30,000 years old—achieving such a level of craftsmanship is exceedingly rare.
CT scan reveals the statue’s unusual material – (Photo: Kern, A. & Antl-Weiser)
The material of the statue is the biggest puzzle that scientists are trying to solve. Unlike most statues from that era carved from ivory or bone, “the Venus of Willendorf” is made from oolite (egg stone), a fascinating sedimentary limestone composed of spherical grains called oolids, which has been further dyed red with ochre.
Using micro-CT scanning technology, a team of scientists led by anthropologist Gerhard Weber from the University of Vienna (Austria) examined the interior of the statue and made several surprising discoveries.
The internal structure of the stone is not uniform but contains multiple layers of sediment with varying densities and sizes. Additionally, it contains small fragments known as limonites, an impurity indicating that this oolite does not originate from within a 200 km radius of where the statue was carved.
By comparing data from ancient Jurassic stones, scientists identified that the source of the stone used to carve the “Venus of Willendorf” was from Lake Grada in northern Italy, meaning the stone or statue must have traveled south to north across the Alps. If taking a detour, the journey could reach up to 730 km.
This was an incredible journey at that time, filled with hardships and dangers, sometimes at the cost of lives, but it is evident that the Venus of Willendorf was extremely well-preserved during its travel, indicating the statue’s sacred value. It is not excluded that the type of stone used for the carving was deliberately mined to enhance this treasure’s sanctity.
This research was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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