After a cool day yesterday, the sun has returned, and it is another glorious day of cool breezes and sunshine here in the Allgäu. The fair is in town with rides and games, the Christi Himmelfahrt Markt is in town with booth after booth of things to buy - all within a couple of blocks from our apartment. At times, I really wish we were in the countryside where we could really enjoy the snow and hiking easier, but on days like today (and definitely for the boys' schools), I am so glad we are in the city.
My question yesterday asked "What is the oldest female figurine in the world?" Just last week, researchers announced that they had found perhaps the oldest female figurine in the world to date. And believe it or not, it was found not terribly far from here in a cave system near the towns of Blaubeuren and Schelklingen about an hour north of here and very near the city of Ulm.
The figurine is a female depiction of a human carved out of ivory. It is one of the oldest such item ever found. It is significant not only for its age, but also its relevance to art. Prior to this find, the concept of art in the Aurignacian period was not thought to have developed past animal depictions until the end of this period, around 28,000 years ago. The item was found in fragments during an excavation back in September about 10 feet below the current ground level of the cave. Amazingly, all but one shoulder and arm fragment were found, allowing the researches to see the true detail in the art. The detail is so fine that they are able to tell how the figure was made (using stone tools) and that it was probably worn as a pendant. It has very detailed anatomical features, suggesting its link to fertility.
Along with the figurine, fragments of ivory, flint, and bones carved into tools as well as additional animals bones (likely from hunting and eating) were all found. By using two methods to date the article, radiocarbon dating and a process called stratigraphy (a way to count age in earth by its layers kinda like counting rings in a tree), the items found are anywhere from 31,000 to 40,000 years old. This particular artwork is being dated at more than 35,000 years.
The Venus figurine and many other finds of the Ice Age era are being displayed in Stuttgart starting in mid September of this year.
The word for today is archeology: die Archäologie (ahr keh o lo ghee).
The question for the day is "What important American event will be held this summer in the German state of Saarland?"
Auf Wiedersehen,
Frau Spitzer
