The Venus of Hohle Fels is the prehistoric ivory figurine found in Germany’s Hohle Fels Cave that represents a woman.
The figurine was carved from mammoth ivory and discovered in 2008 by archaeologists working in the Swabian Jura. It is about six centimetres high and has been dated to roughly 35,000–40,000 years ago, placing it among the earliest known examples of figurative art.
The figure has exaggerated breasts, abdomen, and hips, while its head is replaced by a perforated loop. That loop may have allowed the object to be worn as a pendant, although its exact purpose is unknown.
The term “Venus” is a modern label and does not establish that the figure represented a fertility goddess. It is distinct from the much later Venus of Willendorf, found in Austria and usually dated to about 29,000 years ago.