On June 13, 2025, a now-famous conference was held in the Plafond Hall of Braunschweig Palace, where a unique find was presented. The small stone figurine, over 6 years old, captured the attention of more than just Kołobrzeg residents. This discovery of the century has generated enormous interest in Poland and around the world. Dozens of articles in 15 languages have made it a landmark exhibit, raising Kołobrzeg's profile even higher than many promotional campaigns. Links to over 160 articles published online were located by Anetta Bolechowska, head of the museum's Library and Special Collections Department. In addition to Polish, the articles were published in English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Indonesian, Russian, Greek, Turkish, Portuguese, Chinese, Dutch, Romanian, and Arabic.

At the same time, visitors to the Polish Arms Museum regularly inquired about when and where they could see the Kołobrzeg Venus, as this discovery was named. Initially, we planned to display it after the renovations at the Kołobrzeg City Museum were completed. However, the figurine's fame surprised us. The decision was made to create a temporary exhibition so that both Kołobrzeg residents and the numerous tourists who visit our resort could see this unique exhibit and experience such a distant history firsthand.

The team members who examined the figurine, Grzegorz Szczurek and Marcin Krzepkowski, suggested that the Venus of Kołobrzeg is a quality in itself, unmatched by anything else. Therefore, it doesn't need any background; on the contrary, it requires peace and quiet to best express its power. Krzysztof Kowalski, head of the archaeology department at the National Museum in Szczecin, also supported the idea of organizing such a temporary exhibition. Therefore, the exhibition was organized in a separate, dark room, accessible only to small groups of visitors. In the center of the display case, on a rotating base, sits the Venus of Kołobrzeg figurine, illuminated only by spotlights. The only sound in the room is the soothing sound of the sea waves.

The exhibition concept was brought to life by a museum team composed of Robert Dziemba, Marcin Nater, Emil Górski, Karol Misztela, and others. Thanks are also due to all those who participated in creating this exhibition: Robert Gauer, Wiesław Pawlik, Agnieszka Kasperowicz, and others.

The discovery of the century

In December 2022, an unusual stone figurine was discovered in the Podczele district of Kołobrzeg. It subsequently came into the possession of the late Waldemar Sadowski, a member of the Parsęta Exploration and Search Group operating within the Society of Friends of the Polish Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg. In light of the information obtained, the discovery site should be considered credible. In 2023, the group's president, Jan Orliński, showed the artifact 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.

The exhibit was then handed over to a team of scientists who undertook its examination. It was also determined that the artifact would ultimately be transferred to the Polish Arms Museum in Kołobrzeg. Currently, the Kołobrzeg City Museum (a branch of the Kołobrzeg Museum) is preparing changes to its permanent exhibition to showcase artifacts related to the prehistory of the Kołobrzeg region. The Kołobrzeg Venus, as the discovery has been named, will be one of the oldest artifacts on display, and a unique find from Western Pomerania in Central and Eastern Europe.

The small stone figurine likely dates back to the Neolithic period and is over 6000 years old. It may have been the work of the first farmers who settled in the fertile lands of Western Pomerania, in this case near the Parsęta River. However, at this stage of research, it cannot be ruled out that it dates even earlier.

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 at Neolithic sites dating back to the 6th and 5th millennia BC in the vast areas south and southeast of the Carpathians. Similar figurines have been discovered in Anatolia and southern Europe. The Venus of Kołobrzeg, on the other hand, is a unique find from Poland, where no analogues have yet been found. Neolithic Venus figurines were made of clay, much less often from stone materials such as sandstone, marble, or limestone. Traditionally, they are considered symbolic representations of femininity and fertility. They may have been used in rituals or ceremonies intended to celebrate fertility and ensure the survival and prosperity of the local community. The stylized form of the Venus of Kołobrzeg reveals high artistic skill and, despite its simple form, is distinguished by its exceptional aesthetic qualities.

The task of interdisciplinary study of the Venus of Kołobrzeg was undertaken by a research team representing various fields and institutions: Marcin Krzepkowski, M.A. (Relicta Foundation), Grzegorz Szczurek, Ph.D. (University of Kalisz named after President Stanisław Wojciechowski), Iwona Sobkowiak-Tabaka, Ph.D., prof. UAM (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań), Barbara Studencka, Ph.D., prof. PAN (Museum of the Earth, Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw), Aldona Kurzawska, Ph.D. (Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań), Agata Hałuszko, Ph.D. (Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Archeologi.org Foundation), Maksym Mackiewicz, M.A. (Archaeologi.org Foundation).

The text was prepared based on materials by a team composed of: Dr. Grzegorz Szczurek, Dr. hab. prof. UAM Iwona Sobkowiak-Tabaka, and Marcin Krzepkowski, M.A.