Tracing the Origins of the Venus of Willendorf

 

Figure 1: Venus of Willendorf (Source: Weber et al. 2022)

 

Throughout Europe, between modern day France and Russia, there have been a series of unique female idol figurines discovered.  Known as the Venus figurines these artifacts depict women in various forms, with some being thin, others obese, and most with exaggerated sexual characteristics. Most of these figurines were created out of bone or ivory, while a few were manufactured from stone.  There is only one, however, created from oolite, a porous stone: the Venus of Willendorf (Figure 1). 

 

Discovered in 1908 in Austria the Venus of Willendorf has always confused scholars for various reasons.  One of the questions raised by scholars was where the oolite stone used in her manufacture came from.  Oolite stone is not local to the Austrian area where she was discovered.  Today’s blog post will discuss the study that discovered the answer to this question, as well as address the additional questions that have come about from answering this question.

 

The Venus of Willendorf is a 30,000 year old artifact associated with the Gravettian cultural groups.   While the Venus of Willendorf represents one of many Venus figurines this particular 11-centimeter artifact is unique in and of itself.  It depicts an adult female with various exaggerated features, including enlarged genitalia, thighs, and breasts; bulging stomach; and an elaborate headdress or hairdo.  She is also faceless, which is typical of many Venus figurines.  She is also the only Venus figurine created from oolite stone.  When one considers that this type of stone is not local to the area where she was discovered it adds additional mystery to her origins.

 

At least that was the case until scholars out of the University of Vienna employed high-resolution tomographic imagery to examine the internal structure of the oolilte stone.  They were able to examine in great detail  this particular stone and compare it to other oolite stones across Europe.  They graded the porosity and sedimentary elements of this oolite stone, and they found a near perfect match.  Or at least strong evidence for them to claim with near absolute certainty that the oolite stone used in the creation of the Venus of Willendorf came from northern Italy.

 

This is the first evidence of contact between Gravettian people who were located in contemporary Italy and Austria, demonstrating there was a link between the Southern and Northern Alpine groups.  It is unclear how the groups were in contact with each other or what motivated that contact.  It is also unknown if the Venus of Willendorf was carved in Italy and traveled to Austria, or if the raw stone traveled to Austria where she was ultimately carved.

 

While this study answered one question it opened up several new ones, particularly concerning contact, trade, and migration patterns among Gravettian populations.  This will hopefully initiate greater study into these groups, leading to answers to these new questions as well additional insights into what life was like for Paleolithic groups.

 

Bibliography

University of Vienna. (2022, February 28). Origin of the 30,000-year-old Venus of Willendorf discovered. Phys.org.

Weber, G.W., Lukeneder, A., Harzhauser, M. et al. The microstructure and the origin of the Venus from Willendorf. Sci Rep 12, 2926 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-06799-z

 

Never Out of Style: The Revitalization of the Han/Hanfu Fashions to Support Chinese Nationality

 

Example of contemporary Hanfu fashion 

There are various ways one can showcase their culture and cultural traditions.  This can occur through language, traditions, beliefs, and the promotion of cultural symbols (e.g., flags, images, etc.).  In China there has been a revitalization movement focusing on traditional cultural elements of the Han ethnic group that has occurred for two decades, and fashion, particularly women’s fashion, has been at the forefront of this movement.  This blog post will discuss this further.

 

The Hanfu fashion movement began in the early 2000s, driven by what many in the West refer to as millennials (individuals born in the 1980s and 1990s).  These young people wanted to embrace traditional Chinese cultural elements, particularly fashion, which had largely been reserved for special occasions and tourism.  While there are various traditional Chinese cultural fashions to choose from Chinese consumers rejected the rigidity and difficulties in wearing some of these clothing items, leading them to embrace the Han/Hanfu fashions.  These fashions are known for their loose-fitting clothing that are suitable for various body types, while also reflecting functionality as the clothing can be and are layered and employ thicker and warmer fabrics for the cold winters.  The Hanfu fashions also employed a variety of traditional Chinese imagery, including but not limited to the dragon, phoenix, auspicious cloud, twig, and more. 

 

Ultimately, young consumers wanted to incorporate their rich Chinese heritage into contemporary fashion, leading Chinese fashion designers to create fashions that blend the old with the new.  There are hybrid fashions that can be seen throughout the streets and boardrooms of Chinese people, and then there are also more traditional Hanfu fashions for those who want more traditional stylings.  Chinese designers have selected one or more Hanfu fashion elements, be it the images or the specific stylistic aspects, into their contemporary fashions, blending traditional and contemporary fashion accordingly.

 

The desire for throwback cultural elements in modern fashion has led many to question why consumers are devouring this trend, and the answer is actually pretty simple: it is about reclaiming Chinese identity.  Over the years, particularly post-colonization, the Chinese people felt like they were losing out or giving up on their own culture.  In the age of globalization and the internet connecting diverse people across the globe to each other the Chinese people felt a stronger need to reconnect with their pasts and what makes them distinctly Chinese.  As most of the Hanfu fashions were made for women it is women consumers who are driving these (fashion and nationality) trends among the Chinese, showing the power and influence of Chinese women in contemporary China.

 

Works Cited

Hu, Shaoying. "Hanfu elements in modern fashion design and innovation." Asian Social Science 10.13 (2014): 89.

Xiaodie, Pan, Zhang Haixia, and Zhu Yongfei. "An analysis of the current situation of the Chinese clothing craze in the context of the rejuvenation of Chinese culture." 2020 4th International Seminar on Education, Management and Social Sciences (ISEMSS 2020). Atlantis Press, 2020.

Yao, Ruiting, and Noppadol Inchan. "Design and Development of Traditional Han Chinese Ethnic Clothing for Contemporary Apparel." International Journal of Sociologies and Anthropologies Science Reviews 4.6 (2024): 639-650.

Enslaved African's Cave Art in Puerto Rico

Figure 1: Cave art of a lion (Source: Angel Acosta-Colón)

 

According to mainstream Puerto Rican history, which is dominated by the histories shared by Spanish colonists, the Puerto Rican islands had only just been inhabited a century (or maybe two) before Columbus’s arrival and eventual claim to the land for Spain.  This narrative either purposefully or unintentionally ignores the archaeological realities, which demonstrate that the Puerto Rican islands were actually occupied for at least 2000 years, 1500 before Europeans arrived.  Thankfully, the work of scholars, such as Angel Acosta-Colón, a geophysicist, and Reniel Rodríguez Ramos, an archaeologist, are shedding light on this neglected history, including unintentionally bringing attention to overlooked histories of enslaved Africans.

 

Presently, there are over 500 identified rock or cave art pieces throughout Puerto Rico.  These range in subject matter, with the earliest being geometric shapes, which eventually gave way to rudimentary depictions of humans and then later more complexly drawn human figures and animals.  Scholars had been studying these illustrations for some time but dating them had been a challenge for various reasons.  The traditional dating methods were highly destructive, and nondestructive methods were less reliable.  With advances in scientific methods the amount of sample destruction required to date the rock and cave art illustrations decreased to a size that scholars were willing to sacrifice to gain the necessary dating information.  From here it was determined that the earliest illustrations date to over 2000 years ago, and the most recent were created during the colonial period. 

 

The dates of these illustrations are important, but the subject matter of the illustrations also provided important insights into who created the drawings.  This was particularly important for an unexpected drawing in the Cueva Ventana Intermedia (aka, Cueva León).  Here a depiction of a lion was present (Figure 1), which was odd since lions do not exist in the Caribbean.  This means that whoever drew this lion had to have knowledge of it ahead of time.

 

Acosta-Colón and Rodríguez Ramos hypothesize that this particular lion drawing was most likely created by an enslaved African.  This individual must have seen a lion while they were in Africa, and they brought that image with them and used it to draw it on the cave walls.  Acosta-Colón and Rodríguez Ramos reached this conclusion based on the date of the drawing, which was completed between 1500 and 1650, the period in which enslaved Africans were present on the island.

 

This lion is not the only example of Colonial Period drawings in Puerto Rican caves.  Other drawings include those depicting horses and ships, but this piece is the only lion thus far discovered.  Unfortunately, it is unclear why the illustrator drew this lion, but it does show agency (a deliberate choice) by the creator.  It also provides a glimpse into what life may have been like for enslaved Africans during the Colonial Period.  Hopefully, in due time, more information will be learned, and this portion of history will be featured further.

 

References

Acosta-Colón, A. (2023, October 17). New Dating of Cave Art Reveals History of Puerto Rican People . Retrieved from The Geographical Society of America: https://www.geosociety.org/GSA/News/pr/2023/23-40.aspx

ACOSTA-COLÓN, A. A., & RODRÍGUEZ-RAMOS, R. (2022). Absolute Temporality of Cave Pictographic Rock Art in Puerto Rico. Karstologia Meémoires n.

Metcalfe, T. (2023, November 1). 500-year-old lion drawing in Puerto Rican cave may have been made by an enslaved African. Retrieved from LiveScience: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/500-year-old-lion-drawing-in-puerto-rican-cave-may-have-been-made-by-an-enslaved-african?fbclid=IwAR00CtVdkC3m4yjQfJ7lbSMe60-YnF8qGhLMIWNSV3GfNsrguX9LDpTTITY

 

Jab Jab of Grenada: A Celebration of Afro-Caribbean Freedom and Resilience

Jab Jab celebration in Grenada (Source: Our History UK)

The Carnival season throughout the Caribbean Islands is an important economic attraction for Islanders, drawing in tourists from around the world who patronize the region.  It is also, however, an incredibly important means of celebrating Caribbean cultures.  Each island has their own celebrations, some of which are shared across islands, and it is the island of Grenada that has its very own Carnival celebration: Jab Jab.

 

The term Jab Jab is derived from a French Creole word, which means demon or demonic.  The word was conceived during the colonial period of the island and was used as a derogatory term against enslaved Africans.  Enslavers, who were rich and powerful White individuals, would hurl the insults at enslaved Blacks, referencing their African origins as being evil and demonic as a way of condemning and justifying abuses against them.  Enslaved Africans were ostracized and separated from mainstream White culture on the islands, including the exclusion from the popular Carnival celebrations.

 

In 1834, however, a dramatic shift happened.  On the English-speaking Caribbean Islands slavery was outlawed, and Black Grenadians took to the streets and celebrated.  This was the inception of what later became known as the Jab Jab celebrations, a way of mocking their oppressors and celebrating their freedom. 

 

Over the generations the Jab Jab festival remains similar to how it started.  Participants, who are referred to as coupé, don costumes that entail bodies painted black (traditionally using molasses but today include black paint, used motor oil, or a mixture of charcoal and vegetable oil), helmets adorned with cow or goat horns, and chains.  The painted black bodies and horned helmets are meant to represent the demonic stereotypes hurled against enslaved Africans, and the chains, now broken but still attached to the bodies, symbolize the broken chains of enslavement and oppression.  The coupé are led by Capitals, who guide crowds through the streets and lead traditional Jab Jab chants, which are called spellings.  Spellings are an important aspect of Jab Jab celebrations as they are part of oral histories and storytelling traditions, which share the rich cultural history of Grenadians.  The Capitals and coupé parade through the street dancing but also playing various musical instruments, most notably drums and conch shells. The drums are part of their African heritage, while the sounds of the conch shells symbolize the secret messages enslaved Africans would share in the open among the enslavers.

 

The Jab Jab celebrations are considered a form of “street theater,” meant to embody freedom and resilience among Grenadians.  This annual celebration exemplifies their history and culture, but it has taken on additional dimensions over time.  It is not just simply a celebration of their freedom over 100 years ago but also a commemoration of the continued struggles the African diaspora continue to fight.  In this way the Jab Jab has taken on a meaning of freedom of hardships, and participants incorporate symbols of continued oppression and resistance into their celebrations (e.g., elements of the African American Civil Rights Movement).  The Jab Jab celebrations will continue to serve Grenadians in these ways as these fights continue, and hopefully it will evolve to become a celebration of freedom for all members of the African diaspora.

 

Works Cited

Noel, M. (2023, September 13). Exploring Grenada's Jab Jab Tradition: A Symbol Of Black Expression And Liberation . Essence Magazine.

Our History UK. (2019, August 20). Jab Jab: The celebration of freedom and resilience in Grenada. Retrieved from Our History Archive: https://www.ourhistory.org.uk/jab-jab-the-vibrant-celebration-of-freedom-and-resilience-in-grenada/

Spiceisledigiconte. (2022, August 19). Jab Jab Culture in Grenada. Retrieved from Island Learning: https://www.islandlearning.gd/post/jab-jab-culture-in-grenada

Anthropologist Profile: Dr. Emma Nguvi Mbua, Paleoanthropologist

 

Dr. Emma Mbua (right) showing A. afarensis specimen to a Japanese Prince (Source: Getty Images)

The fields of science, math, and technology have historically been dominated by men for generations.  In the last few decades there has been a push to encourage women to enter these fields, and this has been largely been successful in various Western nations.  In areas of the world, such as African nations, this push has been less successful, but through the hard work and concerted efforts of various scholars, such as Dr. Emma Nguvi Mbua, the tides are changing.

 

Dr. Dr. Emma Nguvi Mbua is world renowned paleoanthropologist, paleontologist, and primatologist who earned her degrees in Evolutionary Anthropology from the University of Liverpool (England) and University of Hamburg (Germany).  She is also a scholar who has a list of notable accomplishments under her belt.  These include having served as the Head and Principal Research Scientist in the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Nairobi (Kenya), as well as a leader of the National Museum of Kenya’s Paleoanthropology Section.  It is important to note that she was the first woman to serve in this position at the National Museum, and she was also the first female paleoanthropologist in Kenya. 

 

In addition, Dr. Mbua made various ground breaking discoveries at the Kantis Palaeontological Project, a paleoanthropological site she previously worked at.  These discoveries included locating fossilized remains from 29 extinct species, as well as fossilized teeth and portions of the forearm of Australopithecus afarensis.  This latter discovery was the first evidence to A. afarensis’s expansion into the area!  Her research endeavors were funded through various organizations, including the Leakey Foundation, Wenner-Gren Foundation, National Geographic Society, and the Paleontological Scientific Trust.

 

Dr. Mbua is also a highly decorated scholar.  She was the first African woman to receive the Mary Leakey Award for Research and Study of Human Origins, which was awarded to her in 1998.  She has earned several awards and recognitions throughout Kenya for her scholarship and public outreach.  She is considered an inspiration to all Kenyans given her dedication to making paleoanthropological research accessible to the public, and she is credited as inspiring young African girls and women to pursue scientific study, research, and work. 

 

Although she is now retired she continues her tireless efforts and does not appear to be ready to slow down at any point.  She is a shining star that refuses to burn out, and hopefully her shine will burn bright to pave the way for future generations to come.

 

References

Clarke, S. (2020, November 13). Emma Mbua . Retrieved from Trowelblazers: https://trowelblazers.com/2020/11/13/emma-mbua/

Day, M. (2024). Dr. Emma Nguvi Mbua. Retrieved from Kenyan Heroes: https://kenyanheroes.com/honorable-mention/emma-nguvi-mbua/

Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board. (2022, May 5). Emma Mbua. Retrieved from Kenya Yearbook Editorial Board: https://sectors.kenyayearbook.go.ke/2022/05/05/emma-mbua/

Mbua, E. (n.d.). A Message from the Head of the Earth Sciences Department. Retrieved from Prehistory Club of Kenya: https://www.prehistoryclubkenya.org/DRMBUA.HTML