Dimples of Venus
sagitically symmetrical depression over the gluteal fold
The dimples of Venus (also known as back dimples, butt dimples or Veneral dimples) are sagittally symmetrical indentations sometimes visible on the human lower back, just superior to the gluteal cleft. They are directly superficial to the two sacroiliac joints, the sites where the sacrum attaches to the ilium of the pelvis.
An imaginary line joining both dimples of Venus passes over the spinous process of the second sacral vertebra (S2).
Overview
The term "dimples of Venus", while informal, is a historically accepted name within the medical profession for the superficial topography of the sacroiliac joints. The Latin name is fossae lumbales laterales ("lateral lumbar indentations"). These indentations are created by a short ligament stretching between the posterior superior iliac spine and the skin.
Named after Venus, the Roman goddess of beauty, they are sometimes believed to be a mark of beauty. The features may be seen on both female and male backs, but seem to be more common and more prominent in women. When seen in men, they are called "dimples of Apollo", named after the Greco-Roman god of male beauty.
Another use of the term "dimples of Venus" in surgical anatomy refers to two symmetrical indentations on the posterior aspect of the sacrum, which also contain a venous channel.
“Dimples of Venus” enters the record as sagitically symmetrical depression over the gluteal fold. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Dimples, Venus and sagitically can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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Vocabulary and entity names are the principal evidence signals here, because they determine the precision of every later search. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jun 21, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q15223957. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Dimples of Venus” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.