Near East / Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, Anatolia, Neolithic / Chalcolithic period, ca. 5500 to 3000 BCE. A collection of three red terracotta idols, each with a distinctive bulbous nose. Two of the idols are of a miniscule form, one with a long cylindrical body, slit-form eyes tracing on to the nose, and a high brow line, and the other with a diamond-shaped head, a diminutive mouth, and diagonally-slit eyes. The largest idol has a slender body and neck which leads to deeply-impressed eyes and mouth surrounding a squat nose. Custom lucite display stands included. Size of largest (deep-set eyes): 0.875" W x 2.7" H (2.2 cm x 6.9 cm); 3.625" H (9.2 cm) on included custom stand.

Ancient idols like these, that reduce the human figure to a simple collection of shapes and lines, are considered some of our oldest forms of abstract art. They fascinate us today in part because they hint at a belief system and cosmology that we can no longer access or understand. Instead, we guess at their meaning - Are they fertility charms? Representations of old gods? Were they made to be carried as apotropaic charms, or simply to be placed in tombs? Their mute figures raise more questions than they answer.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.

A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.

We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.

#135317

Each idol was once part of a larger figure. All items have surface wear commensurate with age, small nicks to faces and neck lines, with light fading to some impressed features, and light roughness in scattered areas. Nice earthen deposits throughout.