Venus Of Willendorf Research Paper

In 1908, archaeologist Josef Szombathy’s workman Josef Veram uncovered the figure that has come to be known as the Venus of Willendorf. Found at a Paleolithic dig site in Willendorf, Austria, the Venus of Willendorf is a small limestone figure of a women. 53 years later, in Çatalhöyük, Turkey James Mellaart dug up the Seated Mother Goddess, or Seated Woman of Çatalhöyük. This figure was also clearly a women, but it was larger, and made out of clay as compared to the Venus of Willendorf. Though they came from very different parts of the world, historians soon recognized the striking similarities between the two figures. Despite the differences between where they were found, and the time periods they came from, the two figures had undeniable similarities. Both had largely defined
For example, both figures were celebrated and revered by their owners. From the size and texture of the Venus of Willendorf, it had obviously touched and inspired those who held it in the Paleolithic time period. Perhaps the first of its kind, the Venus of Willendorf comes from a collection of multiple Venus’s. The Mother Goddess of Çatalhöyük also was looked up to, and likely worshipped in order to be gifted food and water. As she is seated on a chair, perhaps a throne, her status is seemingly above others. She also has animals alongside her, docile enough to appear domesticated. Many believe the Mother Goddess of Çatalhöyük is in the process of giving birth while the Venus of Willendorf is simply pregnant. Either way, both are fertile women, as shown in the way the figures were formed. Both figures were considered idealistic, either for their superior status to men, or their fertility. This is obvious from the shape of the figures as well as the numbers of statues similar to those two. That is how these figures are similar to each other in their idealism and fertil