Mothers of Time

Seven Palaeolithic Figurines
from the Louis Alexandre Jullien Collection

Approximately 25,000 years on from their birth date and almost 4,000 kilometres distant from their place of origin, these seven Balzi Rossi figurines shed new light on the origins and meaning of an art that is still our own.

Follow the arrows at bottom of each page, or the links in the text.

  1. The First Discoveries
  2. The Wealth of the Balzi Rossi Site
  3. The Balzi Rossi Figurines
  4. The Mystery of Louis Alexandre Jullien and His Figurines
  5. Are They Authentic?
  6. Significance of the Gravettian Figurines
Drawing of "The Armless Lady" by Pierre Bolduc

Exhibit curator - Jacques Cinq-Mars, Archaeological Survey of Canada
Guest curator - Pierre Bolduc
Main text and captions - J. Cinq-Mars
"Louis Alexandre Jullien" text - J. Cinq-Mars and Pierre Bolduc
Photos of the figurines - Harry Foster
Production - Stephen Alsford

For Further Information:

Bisson, M.S. and P. Bolduc. 1994. "Previously Undescribed Figurines from the Grimaldi Caves." Current Anthropology 35(4):458-468.

Delporte, H. 1993. L'image de la femme dans l'art préhistorique. Paris: Picard.

Mussi, M. 1993. "L'utilisation de la stéatite dans les grottes des Balzi Rossi (ou Grottes de Menton)." Gallia Préhistoire 33:1-16.

Rice, P.C. 1981. "Prehistoric Venuses: Symbols of Motherhood or Womanhood?" Journal of Anthropological Research 37(40):402-416.

Came, B. 1995 (May 8). "A furor over lost figurines." Maclean's 108(19):70-71.

Crumley, B., A. Dorfman and G. Scott. 1995 (May 1). "An Ice Age Escapade." Time 145(18):56-57.

Other Web sites related to the Paleolithic period: