Artistic genius can be a flighty thing. No sooner have you started on a project than another brilliant idea enters your head and you turn to that. Leonardo da Vinci was famed for his creations in his day but he was also infamous among his patrons for his inability to deliver on promised artworks. One of his proposed artworks was the largest equestrian statue in the world, yet it never got beyond a clay model. Some artists however did begin to make sculptures but, for whatever reason, have left them unfinished.

Here are ten of the most amazing, if aborted, sculptures ever half-made.

10 Statues That People Like To Touch In Inappropriate Places

10 Apollo-David

Michelangelo was a younger contemporary of Leonardo and both were rivals vying to create the most impressive works of their time. When Leonardo mocked Michelangelo he in turn called Leonardo fought back saying “horse-modeller that you are, who, unable to cast a statue in bronze, were forced to give up the attempt in shame.” But Michelangelo, as we shall see, another artist who left artworks unfinished.

Italy in the time of Michelangelo was fragmented into many warring states. After a siege the pope placed a brutal governor over the city of Florence who commanded Michelangelo to make a statue. When a new duke took over the city the sculpture was abandoned and Michelangelo left the scene. He left the work so unfinished that even the subject of the statue is debated.

Is the figure pulling an arrow from its quiver, as Apollo would, or is it getting a sling to kill Goliath, as David would? Either way it is a gorgeous piece of art.^[1]

9 Atlas Slave

Michelangelo was famous for his ‘non-finito’ style. Vasari, who wrote one of the first books of art history, said that “the works he envisioned were of such a nature that he found it impossible to express such grandiose and awesome conceptions with his hands, and he often abandoned his works, or rather ruined many of them… for fear that he might seem less than perfect.”

When Pope Julius II, known as the Fearsome Pope, turned his attention to art he planned big things. Among other achievements he brought to fruition was the Sistine Chapel paintings of Michelangelo. When Julius wanted a tomb he called on Michelangelo again. The pope wanted a mausoleum worthy of a great man – and he commissioned Michelangelo to surround his tomb with sculptures.

Among these were to be a series of figures known as the prisoners. The Awakening Slave, the Bearded Slave, the Young Slave, and the Atlas Slave were meant to adorn Julius’ tomb but were never completed. Today they stand as human forms attempting to struggle free of their marble but are prized by historians of art for the clues they reveal about Michelangelo’s technique.^[2]

8 Taddei Tondo

There is only one marble sculpture by Michelangelo in the UK and it is one of the prized possessions of the Royal Academy. The ‘Virgin and Child with the Infant St John’ is yet another unfinished work by Michelangelo though it remains a beautiful work of art.

Also known as the Taddei Tondo (a tondo being round work or art) it shows the rapid and hard blows that Michelangelo used to create his sculptures. On the reverse of the work there is a thin crack that may have been caused by Michelangelo’s hammer blows, and there is a missing section that may be another mark of his quick work.

The Taddei Tondo has recently been in the news because of discussion of whether it should be sold by the Royal Academy to secures its finances. Some have valued the sculpture at £100 million.^[3]

7 Rondanini Pieta

Michelangelo’s Pieta in the Vatican is one of the most famous sculptures in the world. Showing the Virgin Mary with Jesus’ body after the crucifixion it is a hugely moving work of art. But it is not the only time Michelangelo sculpted the scene. His last work of art, left uncompleted at his death, shows the two figures in a completely different pose.

The sculpture as it stands today is not the first version he had tried to make from the block of marble he used. Becoming dissatisfied with the results Michelangelo hacked away all his previous work except Jesus’ right arm.

Michelangelo once said “I value highly the work done by a great master even though he may have spent little time over it. Works are not to be judged by the amount of useless labour spent on them but by the worth and skill and mastery of their author.” So perhaps he would not be sad that so many of his works remained unfinished at his death.^[4]

6 Unfinished Obelisk at Aswan

The ancient Egyptians loved to erect monumental works of art. Among the largest were the free-standing obelisks that scraped the sky long before modern cities began erecting skyscrapers. The largest obelisk ever discovered measured around 42m (140 feet) tall. It would have been a third larger than any other obelisk. Unfortunately for the Egyptians who were making it the obelisk fractured while it was being cut from the rock.

The obelisk was commissioned by the controversial female Pharaoh Hatshepsut around 3,500 years ago. It was as the obelisk was being cut from the bedrock that the cracks began to appear. What was a terrible outcome for the Egyptians was fortunate for archaeologists as it reveals how they were made.

Hollows carved into the rock show the points where the craftsmen hammered dry wooden wedges into them. The wedges were then soaked in water that caused them to expand. The pressure of the wood on the stone forced it to crack. These cracks were useful, the ones that destroyed the obelisk were less useful.^[5]

Top 10 Controversial Statues Around The World

5 Monument to Humanity

Any mention of the history between Turkey and Armenia is bound to cause trouble. There seems to be abundant evidence that Turkish Ottoman forces between 1914 and 1923 forced Armenians out of their territory. Disputed figures put the death toll at around 1.5 million. The Turkish government strongly denies any wrongdoing but many refer to this period as the Armenian Genocide.

It is against this background that Naif Alibeyoglu, mayor of a Turkish town, decided to build a monument that would help to heal the wounds of those events. The Monument to Humanity shows two figures facing each other and would have stood 100 feet tall.

Opposition was immediate and some thought having one figure bowing its head to the other showed that Turkey was in some way responsible. Building of the statue was never completed. Laying in the dust at the base of the monument is a large hand, called ‘The Hand of Friendship,’ that it seems will now never be put in place.^[6]

4 El Gigante

The monumental statues of Easter Island are famous around the world. The enigmatic Moai, also known as Easter Island Head (though they have bodies), come in a variety of sizes. The largest one standing is known as Paro and is 10m, or 33 feet, tall. Yet there was one that would have dwarfed it. If it had ever left the quarry.

El Gigante was over twice as tall as Paro at 72 feet tall. The builders of the Moai were perhaps a bit too ambitious when they started making El Gigante. It weighs in at around 170 tons which the Easter Islanders would have struggled to move. They lacked wheels and metal so would have had to use sledges and logs to move and erect the statue.

Today El Gigante lays where it always has, in the quarry were it was being carved. Never finished and never moved it remains facing up at the sky. This is actually a more dignified ending that most Moai faced. Some time in the 18th century the Moai were all pushed over so that their faces were in the dirt.^[7]

3 Grandfather Cuts Loose the Ponies

David Govedare erected a statue of galloping horses to celebrate 100 years of Washington being a state. The multiple life-sized horses each weigh over 1000-lbs and as they stand are one of the most viewed pieces of art in the state. But they are not the complete sculpture as the artist envisioned it.

According to the original plan the horses were supposed to be running out of a basket. The horses were supposed to be a gift from the Grandfather Spirit who would declare “Creatures of this planet, behold, a Great Basket! I send this basket, bearing the gift of life, to all corners of the universe. Now, take these ponies; I am cutting them loose. They will inspire a spirit of free will. They will be a companion for work and play on this planet.”

Unfortunately funds ran out long before the intricate basket could be completed. The basket would have been decorated by local artists to show scenes of people and nature. The artist has not yet given up. Recently he hoped to raise $1 million to complete his sculpture.^[8]

2 Kouros of Apollonas

Ancient Greek statues, like ancient Greek culture, had a fondness for naked young men. Kouroi were statues that can be found throughout the Greek world. Over the centuries the development of Greek art can be followed in the changes of style shown in these kouroi. Most of them are life-size but some of them could be far larger.

One Kouros found at Apollonas on the island of Naxos would have stood 10m tall – if it had stood at all. It was begun in the 8th century BC but never left the quarry. This monumental statue also departs from the normal form of kouroi by showing an older man with a beard. Some archaeologists think this sculpture would have been a god, possibly Apollo or Dionysus.

Why the statue was abandoned by its creators is unknown. Some think that the cracks in it were the reason it was left there. Others think that they realised it would be too heavy to move to its final site.^[9]

1 Crazy Horse

Crazy Horse was a war leader of the Oglala, one of the Lakota bands and part of the Sioux Alliance, in the 19th century. Respected by his own people and his enemies he was one of the most famous Native Americans of his time. In the 1930s Henry Standing Bear began to plan a monument to Crazy Horse that would rival the presidential faces on Mount Rushmore. He wrote to Polish sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski
“My fellow chiefs and I would like the white man to know that the red man has great heroes, too.”

Work on the statue started with a blast of dynamite in 1948. In the intervening years millions of tons of rock have been removed from the site are the sculpture emerges from the mountain. Ziolkowski continued to direct work on Crazy Horse until he died at the site in 1982. Work continues at the moment but no one can say for sure when the monument will be complete.

When the statue is completed it will stand 172m, 563 feet, tall making it the second largest statue in the world. All of the faces on mount Rushmore would fit onto Crazy Horse’s head.^[10]

10 Weird Things We Have Found Inside Statues

We often hear about famous paintings and other works of art that turned out to be fake. By some estimates, as much as 20% of the art in museums is actually fake. But it also happens the other way around, and a painting that was thought to be a replica or copy turns out to be authentic.

Here are ten famous examples of fakes that turned out to be real.

Related: 10 Fake Artworks And Artifacts Exhibited In Museums

10 Rembrandt’s Self Portrait

Rembrandt is considered by some to be the king of selfies, or self-portraits, having painted nearly 100 over his lifetime. Now it turns out that a self-portrait owned by the National Trust in the United Kingdom, long thought to be a copy, is actually the real thing. Like other works considered to be fake, it had been left in storage for a long time until it caught the interest of an expert. In this case, it was Rembrandt expert Ernst van de Wetering who saw the painting in person in 2013.

After months of testing, analysis, and restoration, experts at the renowned Hamilton Kerr Institute have determined that the work was indeed painted by the Dutch master. Experts removed several layers of yellow varnish, which revealed the original colors and details that are in line with Rembrandt’s painting style. Close analysis also confirmed the signature to have been made at the same time as the painting, a point that had been in doubt before.^[1]

9 Rembrandt’s Portrait of a Young Woman

Another Rembrandt was authenticated during conservation work. The Allentown Art Museum in Pennsylvania has owned the Portrait of a Young Woman since 1961, when it was bequeathed to the museum. Originally thought to be a work by Rembrandt, it was declared a copy in the 1970s, believed to be painted by one of Rembrandt’s assistants. After recent conservation work, it turns out those experts were wrong, and the painting was an original Rembrandt after all.

In 2018, the painting was sent to NYU for conservation and cleaning. During that process, a thick layer of varnish was removed, revealing the original, delicate brushwork and color consistent with the Dutch master’s work. Conservators also used X-ray and new imaging technology to confirm that the painting was a genuine Rembrandt. Outside experts also agreed with NYU that the painting is real. a href=”https://www.npr.org/2020/02/19/807488140/the-rembrandt-that-was-fake-then-real-again” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>^[2]

8 Van Gogh’s Sunset at Montmajour

For nearly 100 years, a Van Gogh collected dust in an attic. Purchased by a Norwegian collector in the early 1900s, it was hidden away when the collector was told that the painting was a fake. The current owners had the painting reviewed by the Van Gogh Museum in 1991 after their purchase and were told then that it was a fake. However, using new technology, the Van Gogh Museum reversed its opinion in 2013.

Experts were able to match the pigments in the paint, as well as the canvas used, to other works by Van Gogh during the same period. The numbering on the back of the canvas also matched an inventory list of Van Gogh’s paintings. And last but not least, Vincent Van Gogh had written to his brother, Theo, about this exact painting. Taken together, the evidence was conclusive that Sunset at Montmajour is a genuine Van Gogh. It was painted in 1888, when Van Gogh lived in Arles, France, during the same period when he created famous works such as Sunflowers.^[3]

7 Botticelli’s Madonna of the Pomegranate

In 2019, experts at the English Heritage declared a painting long thought to be a copy of Botticelli’s Madonna of the Pomegranate to be authentic. The small circular painting shows Mary holding a baby Jesus and a pomegranate, surrounded by angels. It’s a smaller version of Botticelli’s famous Madonna of the Pomegranate on display in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.

Conservators used several techniques to confirm the authenticity of the painting, including stripping back a thick layer of varnish and dirt, X-rays, and infrared tests. They also noted that the painting was of the right period and painted on a common material from that time. After consulting with experts at the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Gallery, the conclusion was that the painting did, in fact, come from Botticelli’s Florence workshop.

Whether the work was painted by Botticelli himself, however, will never be known, as Botticelli employed several assistants to help him with his work, which was in high demand during his lifetime.^[4]

6 Monet’s A Haystack in the Evening Sun

Using new technology, researchers at a university in Finland have been able to confirm the authenticity of a Monet painting. The painting, A Haystack in the Evening Sun, has been owned by Finland’s Gösta Serlachius Fine Arts Foundation for more than 60 years. Although the foundation suspected it was a Monet, they couldn’t prove it because the painting lacked a signature. Until the technology caught up.

Researchers at the university used a special device to identify the painting’s elemental composition. They also uncovered Monet’s signature and the date of the painting, 1891, which had been buried beneath a layer of paint. It’s unclear why Monet decided to paint over his signature. But the signature is proof that he painted the work, which now fits into a broader series of “Haystack” paintings. It also makes this painting the first Monet to be held by a public collection in Finland.^[5]

5 Rubens’s Portrait of a Young Girl, possibly Clara Serena Rubens

In 2013, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York sold off a painting, Portrait of a Yong Girl, Possibly Clara Serena Rubens, to raise funds to buy more works of art. They believed the painting to be by a follower of Rubens and not the Flemish master himself. It turns out they may have been wrong about that.

Several prominent Rubens scholars have since confirmed that it’s a real Rubens. This included the director of the Rubenshuis, a museum in Antwerp dedicated to the works of Rubens and his contemporaries, as well as Ruben’s former house and studio. The Rubenshuis is also showing the painting as part of a special exhibit.

However, not all experts are convinced, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and David Jaffe, a Rubens expert and former curator at the National Gallery.^[6]

4 Raphael’s Young Woman

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

For more than 40 years, Raphael’s Young Woman sat in the basement of an Italian palace, thought to be painted by an unknown artist after the great Renaissance painter’s death and practically worthless. Then in 2010, art expert Mario Scalini started sorting through the palace’s extensive art collection and came across the painting, set in a very elaborate and ornate frame.

After a closer inspection, Scalini suspected the painting might have been painted by Raphael himself and sent it off to a research institute in Pisa. There, experts used infrared and ultraviolet technology to “see” through the different layers of paint. They confirmed that the painting was a genuine Raphael.^[7]

3 Constable’s Early The Hay Wain

Art expert Philip Mould was always convinced that an early The Hay Wain painting that he owned had been painted by John Constable. Unable to prove it, however, he sold the painting in 2000 for £35,000.

In 2017, Mould co-hosted BBC’s Fake or Fortune? show, which had the painting analyzed by experts in Los Angeles. Using advanced technology, the experts were able to prove that the painting was a genuine Constable. It was painted around the same time, offering a different view of Willy Lott’s cottage as his famous The Hay Wain, which had been voted one of the most popular paintings in the UK. Experts were also able to trace the provenance of the painting to a sale by the famous painter’s son.

While Mould missed out on a large windfall, he was more than happy to be finally vindicated in his belief.^[8]

2 Three of Turner’s Works

Philip Mould and BBC’s Fake or Fortune? show helped authentic another set of paintings. This time, it was three paintings by famed British landscape artist JMW Turner: The Beacon Light, Off Margate, and Margate Jetty.

In 1951, Gwendoline and Margaret Davies left several paintings by Turner to the National Museum Wales. A few years later, these three paintings were declared to be fakes and removed from display.

The paintings were reexamined in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, with the same conclusion. It wasn’t until the BBC show conducted a new investigation, using technologies developed recently, that the result changed. This time, with the use of modern technology, experts were able to conclude that these paintings were, in fact, by Turner himself. This conclusion was also validated by a more in-depth look at the provenance and history of the paintings, as well as further consultations with Turner experts.^[9]

1 Rodin’s Bust of Napoleon

For years, a bust of Napoleon sat in the corner of a borough council meeting room in New Jersey. It wasn’t until 2014, when they hired a college art history student, Mallory Mortillaro, to archive their artwork, that they discovered that the bust had been made by none other than renowned French sculptor Auguste Rodin.

Mortillaro noticed a faint signature on the bust but didn’t have much luck otherwise confirming whether it was real or not. So she contacted the Comité Auguste Rodin in Paris, a group that could determine its authenticity.

Jerome Le Blay, head of the committee and a Rodin expert, was able to confirm that the bust was real after he traveled to New Jersey to view it. They even had a photograph of Rodin with the bust, but the bust had seemingly disappeared until recently. It turns out it had been in a corner in New Jersey all along.^[10]

For thousands of years, our ancestors gave way to their creative expression by creating figures of all sizes from bone, antler, ivory, and stone. The world’s oldest sculptures are often small enough to fit into the palm of your hand and do not come without their fair share of controversy.

These incredible works of art were mostly created by ancient flint tools that chipped away at the medium the ancient artists used. Their methods included gouging, drilling, and chiseling, while metal abrasives were used to refine surfaces with a smooth finish. Interestingly enough, some of the artworks were found hundreds of miles away from their original sources, possibly indicating that some form of trade existed.
Although we will never understand its precise meaning, use, or history, it is abundantly clear that continuous effort, technique, and care were involved in their creation. Portraying both real and mythical animals and people, these ancient artworks form part of the world’s history that belongs to each and every one of us.

Related: 10 Intriguing Cases Involving Rare Ancient Art And Writing

10 Venus of Brassempouy (23,000 BC)

A singular example of prehistoric art, the Venus of Brassempouy, is the remaining remnant of an ivory sculpture (fractured in ancient times) that was uncovered in Brassempouy in 1892, in the southwest of France. The Venus of Brassempouy—consisting of the remaining neck and head of the original sculpture—was crafted from mammoth ivory. It is approximately 3.5 centimeters (1.4 inches) high, 1.9 centimeters (0.75 inches) wide, and 2.2 centimeters (0.86 inches) deep.

Unlike all other venuses discovered throughout Europe to date, this unique sculpture contains distinct facial features such as a nose, eyes, a browline, and forehead—but no mouth. On the top and sides of the sculpture’s head, representations of braided hair or possibly even a headdress have been incised. The incredible facial features make this a remarkable piece of art, even though we may never know how the rest of the body appeared or what ultimately happened to it. This Stone Age sculpture, dated to about 23,000 BC, is one of only a few that features detailed representations of the human face and could possibly be the oldest one in existence.^[1]

9 Moravia Lion Head (24,000 BC)

Shortly after the digging at the Dolni Vestonice archaeological site in the Czech Republic began in 1924, the site’s importance became evident. In addition to being the site of several prehistoric burials, hundreds of fired clay and ceramic relics were unearthed. One of these was the 26,000-year-old Moravia Lion Head.

Formed from fired clay, the Lion Head is 4.5 centimeters (1.75 inches) wide, 2.8 centimeters (1.1 inches) high, and 1.5 centimeters (0.6 inches) deep. Its eyes, ears, and snout were modeled with incredible detail. Whether it’s a lion or lioness can’t be determined as the lions of the Ice Age didn’t have manes. Holes in one of its eyes and above one ear could possibly represent wounds.

The findings gave scientists insights into the importance of carnivores in the daily lives of the ancient inhabitants of the area. Although the acquisition of animal hides may have been their main reason for hunting carnivores, other body parts, such as bones, were used to create weapons and tools. In addition, fox and wolf teeth were used to make a variety of personal ornaments, including jewelry.^[2]

8 Water Bird in Flight (28,000 BC)

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Water Bird in Flight, chiseled from mammoth ivory, was uncovered in the famous Hohle Fels Cave in the southwest of Germany. It is just one of several flawlessly exquisite representations of animal designs. It’s around 30,000 years old and measures 4.7 centimeters (1.85 inches) from the tip of its beak to its rear tailpiece. The tiny sculpture was discovered in two separate parts at the archaeological site—close to the town of Schelklingen in 2002. Relics like this one show us that animals were not only seen as forms of meat, leather, or horn in the imaginations of early human beings but that they also might have been viewed as promises or messengers.

Although it is hard to determine for certain which specific hominid species created this particular sculpture, it is widely believed that the artists were modern humans (Homo sapiens).^[3]

7 The Vogelhead Horse (31,000 BC)

The Vogelherd Cave is located on the eastern side of the Swabian Jura in southwest Germany. After the discovery of the Upper Paleolithic Vogelherd figurines in 1931—attributed to the Aurignacian culture—this incredible cave received widespread scientific and public attention. The petite sculptures crafted from mammoth ivory are some of the longest surviving undisputed works of art in the world.

Among its most famous is the 33,000-year-old carving of a horse, the oldest sculpture of a horse in the world, which may have been used as a totem or pendant. Its features were worn down by frequent human handling, but it remains extraordinarily shaped, beautifully proportioned, and strikingly expressive. It is typically assumed to be a stallion with an assertive or imposing bearing due to its contoured neck. Unfortunately, only its head was completely preserved. As the external ivory layers have a tendency to flake, the width of the sculpture was significantly decreased, and its legs were destroyed. The sculpture also features numerous engraved symbols on the nape of the head as well as on its back and the left side of its chest, the significance of which may never be understood or known.^[4]

6 The Tolbaga Bear Head (33,000 BC)

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

Apart from Israel, Siberia is the only area in Asia where Pleistocene art has historically captivated a satisfactory amount of attention, albeit limited. Compelling examples of paleoart have been identified at over 20 individual archaeological sites so far. While a lot of the artwork can be contributed to the Pleistocene era, most of it belongs to the Upper Paleolithic era. The archaeological site of Tolbaga is near the bank of the Khilok River in Siberia and was uncovered in the 1970s by the well-known Soviet archaeologist and historian Alexey Pavlovich Okladnikov.

The intricately carved head of an animal—commonly thought to be the head of a bear—chiseled from the second vertebra of the now-extinct woolen rhinoceros—was one of the site’s most important discoveries. Microscopic examination of the tool marks found on the sculpture managed to prove that it was etched and chiseled with a variety of different stone tools. Although the outcome of the sculpture on the artist’s side certainly took a lot of time and effort, it remains incredibly detailed and contains remarkably natural features.^[5]

5 Woolly Mammoth Figurine (33,000 BC)

In 2007, the first intact woolly mammoth sculpture was recovered by archaeologists from the University of Tübingen from the Swabian Jura in Germany. It is widely acknowledged that the find, which included several other figurines, was created by the first modern humans at least 35,000 years ago. Not only was the find rare due to the intact state of the mammoth, but it is also believed to be the oldest ivory sculpture discovered to date.

The woolly mammoth sculpture itself is quite small, measuring only 3.7 centimeters (1.5 inches) in length and weighing just 7.5 grams (0.25 ounces). However, it also displays masterfully detailed engravings, complete with a slim shape, pointy tail, strong legs, and a beautifully arched trunk that makes it truly unique. The mini-sculpture is adorned with short lacerations, and a crosshatch sequence is shown on the soles of its feet.

Collectively, a total of five ivory mammoth sculptures from the Upper Paleolithic era were discovered at the Vogelherd Cave archaeological site, made famous by the Tübingen archaeologist Gustav Reik, during its first excavation in 1931.^[6]

4 Venus of Hohle Fels (38,000 BC)

Sculpted during the Aurignacian culture of the Stone Age, the modest ivory sculpture of a feminine figure widely recognized as the Venus of Hohle Fels was uncovered during archaeological digs in 2008 at the previously mentioned Hohle Fels Cave in southwest Germany. It dates back to between 38,000-and 33,000 BC, officially making it the oldest among all the known Venus figurines and the oldest indisputable example of figurativism known to archaeology.

The Venus of Hohle Fels has a number of singular characteristics that are standard fare when looking at later female figurines, like the Venus of Willendorf. Its outrageous age, however, shines a spotlight on the early history of Upper Paleolithic art, proving that the Aurignacian culture was much more sophisticated than previously thought.

A large number of other equally important samples of portable art were also located in the vicinity of the Hohlenstein Mountain, but none of them had their own exhibition. The tiny figurine was one of the highlights of the Ice Age Art and Culture exhibition held in Stuttgart between 2009 and 2010.^[7]

3 Lion Man of the Hohlenstein Stadel (38,000 BC)

The Lion Man of Hohlenstein Stadel is the world’s oldest anthropomorphous figurine. Discovered in 1939 by archaeologist Robert Wetzel, the magnificent sculpture was unearthed within the Hohlenstein Stadel in Germany, a system of caves that continues to produce important archaeological and historically significant finds. The 40,000-year-old sculpture, created with flint and stone cutting tools, is also the first artwork ever discovered in Europe that represents a male figure.

The Lion Man was not found intact, and several pieces from the front of its body remain missing to this day. It measures 31 centimeters (12.2 inches). Its posture and physique seem to suggest that he is standing on the tips of his toes with his arms by his sides. The upper part of the left arm is crisscrossed with incisions that may represent tattoo designs or disfigurement. The Lion Man was uncovered with plenty of other artifacts but continues to stand out as a truly remarkable example of prehistoric human art from the Stone Age.^[8]

2 Venus of Tan-Tan (200,000–500,000 BC)

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Tan-Tan Venus was discovered during an excavation on the northern edge of the Draa River by state archaeologist Lutz Fiedler from Germany. The sculpture was located between the two undisturbed soil layers: the lower layer consisting of objects and sediment from the Early Acheulian era (around 500 000 BC) and the upper layer from the Middle Acheulian era (about 200,000 BC). Exactly in line with its excavation site, the Venus of Tan-Tan dates back to between 200,000-500,000 BC, placing it on the same timeline as the Golan Venus of Berekhat Ram and effectively dating it as the oldest art ever found in Africa.

The dating also effectively discounts Homo neanderthalensis as its creators and places the artwork firmly in front of the more primitive Homo erectus. Created from metamorphosed quartzite, the figurine is approximately 6 centimeters (2.5 inches) long, 2.6 centimeters (1 inch) wide, and 1.2 centimeters (0.5 inches) deep, weighing around 10 grams (0.3 ounces). Twenty tiny specks of a vibrant red waxy substance, recognized as iron and manganese, were discovered on its surface, the subject of which is still being hotly debated as it is not 100% clear if this was some form of ochre paint.

As with its equally controversial Golan sister, the Venus of Berekhat Ram, its anthropomorphous design is implied by particular ridges intricately carved into the figurine. Many of these markings have been attributed to nature, while others have been confirmed to be the result of the artifact being struck.^[9]

1 The Venus of Berekhat Ram (233,000 and 800,000 BC)

Our final item on the list, although highly controversial, has managed to earn a strong case for its legitimacy. The Venus of Berekhat Ram was uncovered in the Golan Heights in Israel. The object was found between two distinct layers of volcanic sediment and stone and is believed to be between 233,000 and 800,000 years old. Quite a few historians have come to believe that the relic was adapted to depict a feminine human figure, classifying it as a probable relic made by Homo erectus in the early Middle Paleolithic era.

Most of the debate surrounding the find was sidelined after a microscopic analysis by Alexander Marshack clearly indicated that human interference was involved in the object’s shaping. It is widely believed that the figurine was already somewhat humanoid in appearance when it was discovered and that it was then shaped and polished with early human tools. Its base provides evidence that it was chiseled flat to enable the sculpture to stand upright.

The case for the artifact was further reinforced by comparable findings in the neighboring regions, such as the Tan Tan Venus of Morrocco. For the time being, it has been concluded that the two figures may have been used for ritualistic or ceremonial purposes and that they might, in fact, be real.^[10]