By comparing to other hunter-gatherer cultures, archaeologists believe that the Woman from Willendorf was used as an amulet to promote fertility and a healthy pregnancy.

Question

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The question presents a factual claim about the Woman from Willendorf and asks us to evaluate it within the context of hunter-gatherer cultures.
First, note that the single provided option is True, and there are no alternative answer choices to compare against.
Option: True. The statement asserts that archaeologists, by comparing the Woman from Willendorf with other hunter-gatherer cultures, believed it was used as an amulet to promote fertility and a healthy pregnancy.
In examining this, consider the common scholarly interpretations of the Venus of Willendorf (the Woman from Willendorf): its exaggerated female morphology—large breasts, rounded belly, wide hips, and pendant-like features—are typically understood as symbolically linked to fertility and reproductive capacity. The object’s portability and absence of any explicit ritual apparatus in the surrounding context have led many researchers to interpret it as a fertility symbol or protective amulet for pregnancy and childbirth, rather than a figurine of a deity or a general cult statue.
However, there is nuance. Some archaeologists challenge or complicate the fertility interpretation by noting that the object’s function is difficult to prove definitively from lithic or archaeological context alone, and some argue for broader symbolic meanings (such as abundance, femininity, or even status). Others emphasize the absence of contextual artifacts that would confirm ritual use, suggesting multiple possible roles rather than a single universal purpose across cultures.
Thus, evaluating the claim involves weighing the fertility/amulet interpretation against alternative readings (goddess representation, social or aesthetic values, or non-religious symbolic meanings). The reasoning typically rests on morphological emphasis, wear patterns, wear on the object if any, and comparative ethnographic data from hunter-gatherer societies, but with caution about overgeneralization.
In sum, the statement aligns with a common and plausible interpretation among archaeologists that the Venus of Willendorf functioned as a fertility-related amulet or symbol, while also acknowledging that alternative interpretations exist and the evidence does not conclusively prove fertility-specific usage beyond reasonable inference from broader comparative analysis.
If you were assessing this option in a test, you would consider: does the claim fit with the prevailing readings of the artifact’s morphology and context? Is there compelling comparative evidence from other hunter-gatherer artifacts that supports an amulet-for-fertility function? Are there credible counterarguments about ritual use or symbolic meaning beyond fertility? These lines of reasoning help justify the True option while recognizing there is scholarly debate.

Art History Prehistoric-Gothic Unit 1 Exam (Prehistoric, Ancient Near East, and Egypt)

By comparing to other hunter-gatherer cultures, archaeologists believe that the Woman from Willendorf was used as an amulet to promote fertility and a healthy pregnancy.

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