The Venus of Willendorf is a 11.1-centimetre (4.4Â in) high statuette of a female figure estimated to have been made between about 28,000 and 25,000 BCE.
It was found in 1908 near Willendorf, a village in Lower Austria near the town of Krems. It is carved from an oolitic limestone that is not local to the area, and tinted with red ochre. Very little is known about its origin, method of creation, or cultural significance; however, it is one of numerous Venus figurines or representations of female figures surviving from the Paleolithic period. The purpose of the carving is the subject of much speculation. Like many figurines, it never had feet and does not stand on its own, though it might have been pegged into soft ground. Parts of the body associated with fertility and childbearing have been emphasized, leading researchers to believe Venus of Willendorf may have been used as a fertility goddess. Look at this beautiful filigree work in Deep Space 8K larger than life and discover through zoom back of this gigapixel every little detail!