Menhir of the lady of Saint-Sernin, Neolithic female stele necklace in silver

The Menhir of the Lady of Saint-Sernin is an anthropomorphic sandstone stele dating back to the 3rd millennium BCE. It stands in Saint-Sernin-sur-Rance, in the Aveyron region, at the heart of southern France. This statue-menhir is among the oldest known human representations in Western Europe. It marks a unique moment in history, when humankind began depicting itself in life-size form—moving away from abstraction to give shape to its own face.

The stele portrays a female figure, recognizable by her button-shaped breasts and numerous adornments: a tattooed face, a ponytail, and a series of necklaces embellishing a long tunic. Through these details, this figure seems to embody beauty, power, and the sacred feminine in Neolithic societies.

Due to its great age and the absence of written records, the symbolism of this stele remains enigmatic. Was she a goddess, a heroine, a priestess, or a mythical figure? Archaeologists often associate her with a fertility or Mother Goddess cult, in the continuity of the Paleolithic Venuses.
Following in the tradition of these Paleolithic Venuses, one may also see in her a symbol of fecundity, fertility, or the Earth Mother—a possible expression of a matriarchal Neolithic society. However, it is perhaps more accurate to relate her to the Neolithic conception of the cycles of life and death, and to agrarian myths born during this era. She could also prefigure those primordial goddesses later found in various pantheons—Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Phoenician, or Greek.

The mystery of the Menhir of the Lady of Saint-Sernin remains intact—but that may be its greatest power: a timeless symbol that has crossed millennia and still speaks to our imagination. This silver jewel pays homage to that ancient figure—at once woman, goddess, and memory of the Earth—celebrating the eternal beauty of the sacred feminine.

Metal: sterling silver (925).

Pendant size: about 1.46 x 0.75 in (3.7 x 1.9 cm).

Necklace length: about 35.4 in (90 cm).

As we currently dwell in Mexico, provide a period of 3 to 6 weeks to receive your order for free with normal post service. Thank you for taking this information into account before ordering in our shop. At checkout, you will also have the option of choosing an express shipping. (please, read the complete conditions of shipping here).

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I hope you will love this jewel as much as I enjoyed creating it.

By Emmanuelle Guyon.

Tags : Neolithic, megalithic, menhir, statue menhir, anthropomorphic statue, fertility, fecundity, nature, earth mother, mother nature, religion, belief, spirit of nature, lithic, rock art, megalith, stele, Lady of Saint-Sernin, prehistoric, archaeology, protohistory, geobiology, shaman, heroine, priestess, woman, femininity, Celtic, druid, druidess, Venus, matriarchy, matriarchal, goddess

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