Final answer:
The oldest portable art in Europe is the Venus of Hohle Fels, dating to about 35,000 BCE, made of mammoth ivory, and found in Germany. The Venus of Willendorf, found in Austria and dated to between 24,000-22,000 BCE, is another significant example of early portable art.
Step-by-step explanation:
The oldest portable art in Europe is attributed to the Aurignacian culture of the Upper Paleolithic period, with the oldest example being the Venus of Hohle Fels. This small figurine was made from mammoth ivory, stands at a mere 2.4 inches tall, and dates to about 35,000 BCE. It was found in the Hohle Fels cave near Schelklingen in southern Germany. Portable art signifies the nomadic nature of Paleolithic peoples, suggesting these items were significant enough to be carried with them. Another famous example of portable Paleolithic art is the Venus of Willendorf, dating to between 24,000-22,000 BCE, and discovered outside the village of Willendorf in Austria.
Moreover, non-representational forms of early art, like pierced Nassarius snail shells dated to 82,000 years old from Morocco, also indicate the beginnings of artistic expression. On the other hand, cave paintings in Spain from around 65,000 years ago have been recently attributed to Neanderthals, representing some of the earliest known cave art.