Venus III: An Additional Stone Object with Anthropomorphic Features from Heidesheim am Rhein, Germany

As was reported previously, the FM 96-40 surface site in the village of Heidesheim am Rhein near Mainz, Germany has yielded several interesting stone objects. These include a naturally perforated manuport and a white quartz pebble which has been painted with a reddish pigment. Potentially the most significant of these objects is a piece of local limestone which in side view resembles, among other things, certain highly stylized human female statuettes of Upper Paleolithic age. Recently the site has yielded an additional stone object of interest. It consists of a flat limestone artifact displaying three artificial edges as well as possible traces of reddish pigment. Due to its distinctive shape, the new object is strongly reminiscent of female profile figurines of the Gönnersdorf type. Its classification as a figurine would seem to be supported by the fact that a second site in Heidesheim am Rhein has produced an indisputable anthropomorphic stone statuette with painted features