The Löwenmensch and the Venus of Hohle Fels, are likely among the earliest devotional artifacts our species ever crafted, long-lost gods shaped in our image.

Through their anthropomorphic forms, early humans found a way to relate to the otherworldly, giving shape to what would otherwise remain abstract and invisible.

In Ensouling the Effigy, Matthew Venus articulates this beautifully:

“The spirit envisioned in a human form offers us eyes to witness us, a face to look upon, ears to hear our prayers and conjurations, hands to bestow blessings and aid us in our burdens, and feet to lay our offerings before […] The gods created us in their image, and we in turn have created them in ours” (p.138).

Photo: The Venus of Hohle Fels and the Löwenmensch are both about 40,000 years old