Erotic Stone Age Cave Art Discovered in Germany

Images and carvings of naked women were found by archaeologists working in Bavaria, Germany.

The discovery marked the first time that Stone Age depictions -- erotic or not -- have been found in the country. The engravings were found in a cave near the city of Bamberg.

[The findings] include schematic depictions of women's bodies and unidentifiable symbols, among other things, Bavarian State Office for Historical Preservation spokeswoman Beate Zarges told AFP.

Researchers believe that the carvings of nude women may have been used in fertility rituals. According to Zarges, the Stone Age artists may have taken their inspiration from the architecture of the cave, which has rock formations resembling male and female genitalia.

The 16 foot-long cave is currently closed to the public, and the research team is continuing their dig. The engravings are thought to be 12,000 years old.