The Discovery of Sex

“The Discovery of Sex,” discusses the discovery of the role of the male in reproduction and the association of women with plants in the Ice Age. In the Upper Paleolithic many barriers could have combined to obscure the connection between sexual intercourse and childbirth. Examples include pre-puberty sexual activity, prolonged breast-feeding, and the alignment of cycles in the birthrate with periods of relative leisure and abundance. Numeracy is also relevant, as explored in relation to the Gravettian sculpture, the “Lady of Laussel.” The early association of plants and women is suggested by the discovery that clothing worn by some of the Paleolithic “Venus” figurines was composed of plant-based textiles. This association is consistent with roles of women as described in ethnographic studies of modern hunter-gatherer societies, and has implications for the status of women in Paleolithic society. Sexual symbolism in parietal art is examined, including the Magdalenian transition in iconography.