Illustration
This photo shows a reconstruction of the "Cult Wall" of Ludwigshafen, the oldest mural in Europe. The original painting was created around 3860 BCE, depicting hunting trophies of aurochs and bison, fine textiles, as well as a human torso with female breasts. It was most likely located in a pile-dwelling temple of the Pfyner Culture on Lake Constance. The temple caught fire and the heat hard-baked and preserved the plastered wall which then broke apart into many pieces, allowing archaeologists to piece it back together thousands of years later.
Archaeologists believe that the temple was a site of worship of either female ancestors or a kind of mythological mother deity. It is unclear whether the painting was related to some sort of ritual. Temples have been found in several pile-dwellings in southern Germany and Switzerland, but this wall painting is unique.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Crabben, J. v. d. (2023, August 16). Oldest Mural in Europe. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17744/oldest-mural-in-europe/
Chicago Style
Crabben, Jan van der. "Oldest Mural in Europe." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified August 16, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17744/oldest-mural-in-europe/.
MLA Style
Crabben, Jan van der. "Oldest Mural in Europe." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 16 Aug 2023. Web. 21 Feb 2025.
