"VENUS OF MONTEREY" NEANDERTHAL DAGGER IS VIABLE CANDIDATE FOR WORLD'S OLDEST UNDISPUTED ART. Perhaps a harbinger of Austria's famed Venus of Willendorf figurine (circa 25K BP), the skillfully crafted "Venus of Monterey" Neanderthal dagger predates it by over 20K years. Upon closer examination, the dagger's flint blade evinces the face of a cat or bear-like animal near its tip end. To which its owner may have attributed special esoteric significance. PSR's archaeologist, Anthony Renvela, elaborates: "Like the historic Venus of Willendorf statuette, there are some obvious female fertility motifs here. The exaggerated breasts and rotund torso. But the insertion of that flint blade into the base of this feminine image evokes strong male phallic symbolism. Whether or not allegorically intended as such, this is clearly an object with hermaphroditic implications. A hybrid of female versus male iconography. Also, I suggest that the unusual coloration of the flint material was the initial impetus for the Neanderthal selecting it for the dagger's blade. He may have perceived in that mineral staining the physiognomy of an important prey or feared animal. Which may have imbued the knife with a supernatural quality for hunting and/or game consumption rituals." (NOTE: The ENTIRE article describing the history making Monterey Canyon Neanderthal discovery can be read or downloaded via the LINK at the Profile page herein. All photos and captions in this Library were excerpted from the original American Neanderthal report at SUBMARINE ARCHAEOLOGY TIMES.)