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The Beersheba Venus
carved ivory
c. 4500-3500 BCE
Beersheba culture
Israel

#handmade #carved #hippopotamus #ivory #Beersheba #venus #figurine #fertilityfigure #Negev #desert #Beershebaculture #Israel #chalcolithic #period #pregnant #woman #ivoryfigure #ivorycarving #Egyptian #predynastic #influence
The Beersheba Venus, a small prehistoric figurine of a pregnant woman carved from hippopotamus ivory. A fertility figure. Discovered in Beersheba, Israel, and associated with the Chalcolithic period (circa 4500–3500 BCE). The headless, 12 cm tall statuette features a polished surface, hands resting on the hips, a prominent pregnant belly with a drilled navel, and decorated pubic markings. It is currently part of the collection at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. A group of objects made of hippopotamus tusks was discovered in Beersheba. In a workshop found in a subterranean dwelling, a complete canine tooth was revealed, together with a stone worktable, cutters' tools and ivory splinters. This evidence of a local ivory industry, in addition to the large number and variety of ivory objects that were found, suggests the existence of a prolific and creative school of highly skilled artisans. Carved from a single piece of tusk, this mysterious figurine – beautifully preserved though headless and missing part of the right arm – is a nude female, apparently in an advanced state of pregnancy, with a large circular aperture in the place of her navel. Her hands rest on her hips, and her legs are slightly flexed as if moving; her pubic hairs are marked by drill holes, which were probably originally filled with bitumen or another material. The figurine, which is curiously lifelike, has a smooth, highly-polished surface. It somewhat resembles Egyptian Predynastic ivories.
October 6, 2026 at 3:28 PM