"Bertha Butts. One of the Butt Sisters."
Posted on 03/10/2007 6:30:56 AM PST by devane617
THERE are a few exceptions which will always stand out, but most female stars yearn for a diminutive derriere.
However, it appears that the small and slender bottom is very much a recent trend after an archaeological discovery revealed how Stone Age pin-ups were far from size zero.
Ancient carvings depicting the female form 15,000 years ago reveal that prehistoric women were revered for their curvaceous bodies and prominent buttocks.
The most popular were the cave-dwellers’ equivalents of Kylie Minogue (pictured), whose renowned behind is the world’s most popular posterior.
Historians claim that the carvings – found at a site in Poland – reveal how curvy bottoms were regarded as the most attractive physical trait for women in Stone Age Europe.
Men looking for a mate ignored skinnier women and fought for females with the shapeliest behinds.
Experts said a well-presented bottom was a sign of wealth, health and a good diet.
They also suggested she would be a successful mother, able to produce lots of children and sent out a message to other men that her partner was a strong and successful hunter – making him more attractive to other women.
Around 30 of the figurines were unearthed at the dig and archaeologists believe they would have been carried by the travelling hunters as items of decorative beauty to admire while they were away from home and their loved ones.
The flat carvings were fashioned out of flint, bone, ivory and tooth.
They depict the profile of women minus their heads – strongly suggesting that cavemen were more interested in the shape of the body than the way a female looked.
Romuald Schild, of the Polish Academy of Sciences, who led the dig, said: “The engravings and figurines adhere to a style depicting feminine silhouettes with over represented buttocks.”
The site of the discovery in central Poland is a known Late Magdalenian settlement. It has thrown up 10,000 archaeological finds since 1993.
It is thought the discovery is in an area where hunters gathered to relax and swap stories.
Other remains include a woolly rhinoceros, horse and Arctic fox. Animal teeth and tusks were used in jewellery, made by the hunters in their spare time.
They also found time to carve the figurines, which prove that behind every outstanding Stone Age woman was an outstanding behind.
* Had prehistoric women got the right idea? Go to Have Your Say NOW to comment on modern women's body image.
rubenseque
But seriously folks, the stored fat was a survival advantage in a hunter-gatherer culture where the food supply was not consistent.
Not surprising. It's only fairly recently that the preference has trended to stick-figured boys as the ideal female standard.
"Bertha Butts. One of the Butt Sisters."
well, gee. I followed the link. That article provided a fine opportunity to post a risque picture. Unforutnately, it didn't illustrate the large derriere mentioned. Well, now I know who "Kylie Minogue" is--not that that's worth much.
Oh, my.... I did not A) need to see that; B) want to see that; C) ever imagine such a thing was humanly possible. My eyes!
"It's only fairly recently that the preference has trended to stick-figured boys as the ideal female standard."
When homosexuals males took over fashion and such.
Turn it up some
Alright boys, this is her favorite song
You know that right
So, if we play it good and loud
She might get up and dance again
Ooh, she put her beer down
Here she comes
Here she comes
Left left left right left
Whoo
Husslers shootin' eightball
Throwin' darts at the wall
Feelin' damn near 10 ft. tall
Here she comes, Lord help us all
Ol' T.W.'s girlfriend done slapped him outta his chair
Poor ole boy, it ain't his fault
It's so hard not to stare
At that honky tonk badonkadonk
Keepin' perfect rhythm
Make ya wanna swing along
Got it goin' on
Like Donkey Kong And whoo-wee
Shut my mouth, slap your grandma
There outta be a law
Get the Sheriff on the phone
Lord have mercy, how's she even get them britches on
That honky tonk badonkadonk
(Aww son)
I think I saw her dancing on Bourbon St. one night. :-O
Reminds me of that r&b chestnut, "I love you, baby, skinny legs and all."
"When homosexuals males took over fashion and such."
EXACTLY! Is it any wonder that the "ideal" female body type is now that of a 12 year old boy?
Today’s fashion and preferences meant nothing back then when it all came down to natural selection and survival.
I would guess that back when:
Healthy = able to survive = good food forager = aggressive enough to not have food taken away by others = ate regularly = big buts = wide hips = wide pelvis = good child bearer = caveman happy to have healthy sons to carry on line.
Skinny = unhealthy = weak = had to often run away from stronger women = tight butts = narrow hips = died in child birth = no sons = caveman not happy.
Has anybody wondered if maybe these archeologists have it backwards. That instead of depicting the female ideal from the modern perspective (that which we would like to have sex with now), maybe the stone age man was depicting the woman who was already successful and desirable in their eyes and had already been fruitful. A woman who has already had kids is curvier, as depicted in those drawings.
So easy a caveman can do it.
And use them to implicitly criticize modern men for not having the same preferences - leading one to surmise that at least some the authors of this study belong to a group that feels less preferred, these days. ;)
5.56mm
Venus Of Willendorf
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.