A press conference was held at the Kołobrzeg City Museum dedicated to one of the most valuable archaeological discoveries of recent years – a stone figurine of a woman from the Neolithic period, discovered in the Podczele district. The event was attended by: Mayor of Kołobrzeg Anna Mieczkowska, Deputy Starost of Kołobrzeg Jacek Kuś, Director of the Polish Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg Aleksander Ostasz, President of the Parsęta Exploration and Search Group Jan Orliński, archaeologist from the Relicta Foundation mgr Marcin Krzepkowski, dr Grzegorz Szczurek from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Historical Research of the University of Kalisz, dr hab. prof. UAM Iwona Sobkowiak–Tabaka from the Faculty of Archaeology of UAM and dr Robert Dziemba, head of the Kołobrzeg History Department at the Polish Arms Museum.
The Kołobrzeg Venus – as the find was named – is a figurine made of limestone, over 6 years old, depicting a stylized female figure. Its discovery not only sheds new light on the prehistory of Western Pomerania, but also constitutes an unprecedented contribution to research on Neolithic fertility symbolism in Central and Eastern Europe. The artifact, which will soon be presented in a new part of the permanent exhibition of the Polish Arms Museum, arouses great interest among both researchers and the local community.
The discovery of the century – the Kołobrzeg Venus
In December 2022, an unusual stone figurine was discovered in the Podczele district of Kołobrzeg, which then ended up in the hands of Waldemar Sadowski, a member of the Parsęta Exploration and Search Group operating at the Society of Friends of the Polish Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg. In light of the information obtained, the place of discovery should be considered credible. In 2023, the group's president, Jan Orliński, showed the monument to archaeologist Marcin Krzepkowski from the Relicta Foundation, who confirmed the uniqueness of the find. The relevant conservation services and the director of the Polish Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg were immediately notified of the discovery of the stone figurine.
Then the exhibit was given to a team of scientists gathered by Marcin Krzepkowski from the Relicta Foundation, who undertook to examine it. It was also determined that the artifact would eventually go to the Polish Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg. Currently, the Kołobrzeg City Museum (a branch of the MOP) is preparing changes to the permanent exhibition to present artifacts related to the prehistory of the Kołobrzeg region. The Kołobrzeg Venus figurine, as the discovery was named, will be one of the oldest artifacts on display, and at the same time a unique find from the Western Pomerania region on a Central and Eastern European scale.
The small stone figurine dates back to the Neolithic period and is over 6 years old. It may have been made by the first farmers who settled in the fertile lands of Western Pomerania, in this case around the Parsęta River.
The stone figurine represents a stylized female figure, made of beige limestone, with visible fragments of shells of bivalves, snails and tubes of polychaetes (serpules) in the structure. It is about 12 cm high and was made in a simplified way, with an emphasis on showing sexual characteristics. The silhouette is quite massive, with distorted proportions. The upper limbs are only outlined, the lower ones - slightly apart, but not very detailed. The face is devoid of features - no eyes, nose, mouth and ears. The breasts were covered by arms bent at the elbows. At the same time, the head and upper part of the torso are disproportionately large in relation to the short legs. On the back part, there are visible traces of forming in the area of the legs, probably resulting from hitting with a hard tool.
On the surface of the figurine, there are visible indentations resulting from the nature of the raw material from which it was made – a trace of the presence of mollusc shells. On the convex parts of the body, there are delicate traces of smoothing, especially around the breasts and hips, which may suggest the use of the figurine (e.g. storage in a package made of organic material – e.g. leather?). The back of the figure is relatively flat, which may indicate that the figurine was placed vertically or attached to some base.
Schematic anthropomorphic figurines are commonly found in Neolithic sites from the 6th and 5th millennium BC in the vast areas south and southeast of the Carpathians. Similar figurines are discovered in Anatolia and southern Europe. The Kołobrzeg Venus is a unique find from Poland, where no analogy has been found so far.
Neolithic Venus figurines were made of clay, and much less frequently of raw stone such as sandstone, marble or limestone. Traditionally, they are considered to be symbolic representations of femininity and fertility. They could have been used in rituals or ceremonies aimed at celebrating fertility, ensuring the survival and prosperity of the local community. The stylized form of the Kołobrzeg Venus reveals high artistic skill and, despite the simplicity of its form, stands out for its exceptional aesthetic values.
Currently, an interdisciplinary team of scientists gathered by Marcin Krzepkowski, MA from the Relicta Foundation is preparing a detailed study devoted to the Kołobrzeg Venus. The group of scientists from various centers in Poland includes, among others, Dr. Hab. Prof. UAM Iwona Sobkowiak-Tabaka from the Faculty of Archaeology UAM and Dr. Grzegorz Szczurek from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Historical Research of the University of Kalisz. The analysis of the raw material from which the Kołobrzeg Venus was made was undertaken by Dr. Hab. Prof. PAN Barbara Studencka from the Museum of the Earth and Dr. Aldona Kurzawska from the Faculty of Archaeology UAM together with Dr. Agata Hałuszko from the Institute of Archaeology UMCS.
The text was prepared based on materials by the team composed of: dr Grzegorz Szczurek, dr hab. prof. UAM Iwona Sobkowiak - Tabaka, mgr Marcin Krzepkowski
