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the seven rooms Room 1: Matriarchal Cultures 40.000 - 3000 BC   Room 2: Women in the encounter of cultures 3000 BC - 1350 BC   Room 3: Women's Pathways towards Modernity 1350 - 1550   Room 4: Women's Movements in Europe 1550 - 1850   Room 5: Gender Democracy in Germany 1850 -1938   Room 6: Women's politics and fascism 1938 - 1958   Room 7: Female visions and concepts of the One World
 
Room 1
     
  Seven TimeSpaces, or rooms, are linked in a spiral movement. In this movement past, present, and future circulate. In the spiral of time the genesis, historical impact, and changes of a matriarchal pattern become visible. In each of the TimeSpaces particular historical and symbolical aspects of the pattern emerge. For each TimeSpace, and in each room, this historical occurrence is illustrated through the leifmotif of a woman's quotation, a specially designed pictogram, and a guiding image.  
The woman of Laussel

In the beginning was the birth of the human being: The first TimeSpace and room illustrate the genesis of the matriarchal pattern during early history, serving as living foundation for all subsequent TimeSpaces in human history.

The raised arms of the stylized woman's figure symbolize birth, blessing, joy and freedom-and thus, in the sense of Hannah Arendt, the chance for humans to begin anew.

The woman of Laussel embodies this universal worldview. Holding a moonhorn, she points to belly and vulva. Due to its markings the moonhorn is considered the first calendar of humankind. The limestone relief, 46 cm high, bears witness of women's knowledge about the body, natural laws and their social significance. It was created in Laussel (Dordogne), in modern-day France, around 21000 BC. Today it is in the Musée des Antiquités Nationales St. Germain-en-Laye.
 
 
See Kuhn, Annette: Historia. Frauengeschichte in der Spirale der Zeit. [Women's history in the spiral of time] Opladen & Farmington Hills 2010 (= Schriften aus dem Haus der FrauenGeschichte; Bd. 4 ), S. 21-56 [Publications from the House of Women's History, Vol. 4, pp. 21-56]

See Spirale der Zeit. Frauengeschichte sichtbar machen. Hrsg. v. Annette Kuhn, Marianne Hochgeschurz, Monika Hinterberger. Heft 1: Matriarchale Kulturen. [Spiral of time. Making women's history visible. Edited by Annette Kuhn, Marianne Hochgeschurz, Monika Hinterberger. Issue 1: Matriarchal Cultures.] Leverkusen und Michigan (USA) 2007

See Ursprünge - Matri Arche, POLITEIA - Historischer Monatskalender 2006, hrsg. v. Marianne Hochgeschurz [Origins - Matri Arche, POLITEIA - Historical Calendar 2006, edited by Marianne Hochgeschurz]
 
 
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