Bernsteinelch von Weitsche, Prehistoric amber figurine in Landesmuseum Hannover, Germany.
The Bernsteinelch von Weitsche is a small animal figurine made of amber, housed in a museum in Hannover. The artwork shows an elk with lowered head and fine details such as eyes, ears, and nostrils.
The work comes from the time after the last Ice Age and was created by people of a hunter-gatherer culture. The pieces were discovered scattered over many years, showing how people at that time already made skillful objects.
The elk representation shows how people at that time perceived animals and preserved them in their art. It provides insight into the artistic abilities and relationship with nature of these early cultures.
The piece is on display in a museum in Hannover and can be viewed as part of a permanent exhibition. Visitors should check beforehand which sections of the museum are accessible.
The amber work has changed color over time and now displays a reddish-brown patina instead of the original honey-yellow color. This discoloration is the result of natural aging processes over thousands of years.
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