Fundibularius wrote on May 3
rd, 2010 at 9:46am:
There are some really beautiful spear-thrower (for European finds, this term or
propulseur is preferred to atlatl which is normally used for the North American weapon) parts from the paleolithic.
This one is a bit weird and gave some headache to the scientists. It is interpreted as an ibex or roe giving birth or, more probably, defecating. The spur is seen by some as the tail of one of two birds sitting (feeding?) on the animal's excrement.
Juvenile boredom? A naturalistic depiction? Something ritual??? A paleolithic joke?
Beautiful piece, dont give much for the defecating/giving birth idea´s. The carving is so realistic, that I think if the artist wanted to depict that, it would have been unmistakable. I think the part behind the doe´s behind is simply there because
he needed the spur.
Anything known about where it was found and from what period it was?