Statue-menhir de Saint-Sernin, Prehistoric statue menhir in Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance, France.
The Saint-Sernin statue menhir is a female figure carved in Permian sandstone from the Neolithic period, measuring roughly 113 centimeters tall and 56 centimeters wide. The surface displays finely worked details including braided hair, tattoo marks, and multi-row ornaments.
The object was discovered in 1885 near Laval and belongs to the Rouergat menhir family, which mainly dates from the Neolithic in southern France. It was first systematically studied and catalogued by Father Hermet.
The figure displays female features including breasts, a Y-shaped pendant, and a six-row necklace carved into the stone. These details show how people in this era represented gender and social status in their carved monuments.
The statue is now housed in the Fenaille Museum in Rodez, where you can examine the Neolithic carving details up close. The museum is easily accessible and provides good context with similar objects from the region.
This figure is the most complete female representation among the Rouergat menhirs and combines nearly all the anthropomorphic features known in figures of this type. The combination of so many attributes makes it a rare and valuable record of prehistoric craftsmanship.
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