Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 41 (2) 2013

Annotation:  The Kulbulak Bladelet Tradition in the Upper Paleolithic of Central Asia New Findings on Lithic Industries of the Middle to Upper Paleolithic Boundary in Dagestan Exploitation of Lithic Raw Material in the Northwestern Caucasus Upper Paleolithic Analyzing Fertility and Attraction in the Paleolithic: The Venus Figurines On Neolithic Origins in Western Georgia Environmental Conditions of the Late Paleolithic and Early Neolithic Sites in Southern Sakhalin Paleochannel Studies in Archaeology: The Case of the Vychegda River, Northeastern European Russia Technological Analysis of the Earliest Ceramics from the Amur Region (13–10 Thousand Years BP) Fortifi cations at Idnakar Settlement: The Findings of Interdisciplinary Research The Plamya Sibiri Sanctuary A Hoard Found on the Uibat River, Minusinsk Basin Early Iron Age Burial Practices of the Ancient Khmer People: The Phum Snay Necropolis, Northwestern Distal Phalanx of the Hand of Homo from Denisova Cave Stratum 12: A Tentative Description   

Analyzing Fertility and Attraction in the Paleolithic: The Venus Figurines

A.J. Tripp and N.E. Schmidt.

Countless hypotheses have focused on the enigmatic “Venuses,” but most are not testable. The current authors investigate a hypothesis suggested by R.D. Guthrie involving the waist-to-hip ratio. This measurement determines fertility, beauty, and health in modern females; a 0.7 indicates cross-cultural beauty and fertility. Guthrie argued that the statuettes share an average waist-to-hip ratio of 0.655, indicating that Paleolithic males preferred curvier women. We sought to test this and analyze regional data. Our mean was signifi cantly different than Guthrie’s and we found evidence for regional differences. While some statuettes may have served as Paleo-erotica, it seems unlikely that they all did.

Keywords: Paleolithic, art, waist-to-hip ratio, Gravettian, Venus.