More Prehistoric Porn

A couple of months ago German archaeologists announced the discovery of a 7200 year old male figurine, which they reconstructed in such a way as to suggest that it was part of a male/female copulating pair [here]. Now Tubingen archaeologists have gone them one better -- way better.

A stone phallus 28 000 years old has been discovered in a cave in Baden-Wuertemberg in southern Germany, according to archeologists with the University of Tubingen.

In assembling 14 stone fragments found last year in the Hohle Fels cave, archeologists rebuilt the phallus, which is 20cm long and 3cm wide.

It will be on display at the prehistoric museum in Blaubeuren.

Read it here.

As is usual in reporting archaeological discoveries, the journalistic account is incoherent, stating that Neandertals inhabited the cave in which the phallus was found and suggesting therefore that they had created it. That is misleading. Neandertal occupation took place thousands of years before the figure was made and is irrelevant.

UPDATE:

The BBC has an article on this complete with pictures, not all of which are relevant. It also clears up the confusion regarding Neandertal occupation of the site which occurred much earlier than the level in which the "tool" was found. There are still some silly statements, though. To wit:

Its life size suggests it may well have been used as a sex aid by its Ice Age makers, scientists report.

"Scientists" note a more plausible use for what they keep calling "the tool."

"In addition to being a symbolic representation of male genitalia, it was also at times used for knapping flints," explained Professor Nicholas Conard, from the department of Early Prehistory and Quaternary Ecology, at Tübingen University.

So a paleolithic culture produced a "tool" that was clearly used for knapping flints, but which also looks a bit like a phallus. Big whoop!

BBC photos