Ancient Figurine of Voluptuous Woman Is Found

Zariadris Z
Zariadris May 18, 2009 03:05:00
Replying to handofdave

handofdave wrote:
That there is no head on this figurine is extremely significant, and tends to lead me to believe that it's not a totem of female equality, but just the opposite. A headless figure is a figure that's been stripped of it's individuality.

By our modern standards, anyway...

There's no individuality or, erm, head, to any of the bronze age phalluses (phallei?) I've seen either. That doesn't mean males were objectified as inferior in the bronze age - as we know, quite the opposite. Ironically, known patriarchal religions that have oppressed women historically actually depict the female ideal as chaste, not sexual. When's the last time you saw a pornographic Mary? Celebrating female sexuality, with or without a head, was probably more about empowerment than repression.

M moss
moss May 18, 2009 08:00:05
Replying to Zariadris

the argument for/against the 'goddess theory' went all through the last century Gimbulatas wrote about it, was picked up as a feminist argument about 'tranquil matriachial neolithic societies', there is no evidence either way, male and female are probably equally represented in the art work, and 'sex 'is definitely portrayed on a lot of cave/rock drawings. Now how you interpret these 'venuses' as a fertility symbol/mother goddess/ mother earth etc is down to theory.. a subjective response, could equally have been a doll figure, a shrine figure representing something else, a medicine amulet etc. Of the two 'goddess' figures that was found in this country, one is suspect at Grimes Graves, the other was called a god dolly (its hermaphrodite) found on the Somerset levels date 6000 years old...... Up on Windmill Hill Neolithic phalluses and chalk balls were found, can be read as ritual objects but could equally be someone whittling away with a piece of flint one sunny afternoon. I'm on Ronald Hutton's side on this one, there has been a modern day 'Venus' mythology constructed, it could be true but you need more evidence..
But on the other hand Michael Dame just as easily presents a lucid interpretation of the 'earth mother' and a lot of what he says is valid...

T tjj
tjj May 18, 2009 12:18:25
Replying to Zariadris

Zariadris wrote:
handofdave wrote:
That there is no head on this figurine is extremely significant, and tends to lead me to believe that it's not a totem of female equality, but just the opposite. A headless figure is a figure that's been stripped of it's individuality.

By our modern standards, anyway...

There's no individuality or, erm, head, to any of the bronze age phalluses (phallei?) I've seen either. That doesn't mean males were objectified as inferior in the bronze age - as we know, quite the opposite. Ironically, known patriarchal religions that have oppressed women historically actually depict the female ideal as chaste, not sexual. When's the last time you saw a pornographic Mary? Celebrating female sexuality, with or without a head, was probably more about empowerment than repression.
I think you have succinctly summed up the point I was try to make; It wasn't just Mary that was depicted as being without sexuality (ie a virgin) but most of the (mythological) female saints who were killed off as martyrs (usually by horrible means) were also 'virgins'.

Whatever the figurine was for, it celebrated female sexuality.

June

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