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@patrickkapty.bsky.social Oct 6, 2026, 3:28 PM

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

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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.