> National Museum of Prehistory

From the museum you have a view onto the huge statue of Neanderthal man  dominating the valley. In this fortress built under the rocky overhang is a treasure trove of the mysterious and fascinating history of our distant cousins...
 

> "Venus with a horn " [Upper Palaeolithic]

      > Bone horse heads [Upper Palaeolithic]

These bone horse heads date from the upper Palaeolithic . They are typical of the French south west middle Magdalenian and are carved out of a “u”- shaped bone.

This sculpture is known as the “Venus with a horn” and dates from the upper Palaeolithic. This wonderful bas-relief is more than 22,000 years old. It was discovered in the Laussel site which overlooks the Beune valley near Les Eyzies.
The sculpture still bears traces of red ochre and measures 40cm high. It is the oldest known image of a woman and it appears that although she is still fairly young, she has given birth several times. Her hand on her stomach hints that she may be pregnant again. She is holding a bison horn in one hand while what seems to be her hair, falls on her left shoulder.

You will be able to see on the next pages other small sculptures from the Gravettian period that represent figures of women with a similar maternity theme.

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