Venus of Tan-Tan

The Venus of Tan-Tan found in Morocco, like its contemporary in Israel, might be considered one of the earliest representations of the human form. Gender indeterminate and headless, it has been dated between 300,000 and 500,000 BCE. The Berekhat Ram figure is the only other figure of similar age.

Made from quartzite, it was painted with red ochre indicating a possible symbolic importance. It may be one of the earliest representations of pigmentation application found. It was discovered during an archaeological survey by Lutz Fiedler , state archaeologist of Hessen, Germany, in a river terrace deposit on the north bank of the River Draa a few kilometers south of the Moroccan town of Tan-Tan.