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Deities or Humans: Terracotta Figurines

About the exhibition

In the ancient eastern settlements of the third and second millennium BC, large quantities of figurines with human-like appearances have been found.

Most of them are roughly crafted, featuring elongated, upright, rectangular "bodies" that widen at the base to provide stability. Unfortunately, many of their heads have been broken off and are found separately. Their faces tend to be quite peculiar, often displaying bird-like features and sometimes rather large eyes. Jewellery is frequently referenced with the figurines adorning simple necklaces or earrings made by cutting circles out of the clay or by incisions. Some wear headdresses that resemble turbans, while others display more intricate hairstyles.

A large part of the collection seems to represent 'mothers,' featuring female figurines cradling children in their arms. Others are portrayed with their arms raised to their chests, sometimes with hands covering or supporting their breasts. These figures also wear jewellery but don’t seem to have long hair.

Some of these figurines resemble a larger collection of stone statues that were found in ancient eastern temples from the 3rd millennium. Inscriptions on some of theses statues indicate they were offered by pious men and women to represent themselves in eternal worship before the statue of the respective god. Many of the worshippers have strikingly large eyes made of alabaster, shell, bitumen and even lapis-lazuli for the pupils.

Another notable group of terracotta figurines depicts naked women with clearly defined breasts and pubic areas. They are commonly associated with Ishtar, the ancient eastern goddess of love and fertility, possibly symbolising the donor's desire for children or other forms of fertility.

It is unclear whether all of these figurines served the same purpose; they may have been offerings for gods and goddesses, like their much larger and more expensive stone relatives. Alternatively, they might have simply been ancient dolls.

No. 133 Figurine of a woman with her arms raised (one arm missing); wearing a necklace. Provenance unknown. Terracotta. 2nd half 3rd millennium. L: 9,7 cm; W: 2,3 cm

No. 132 Figurine of a woman holding a child; wearing a necklace. Provenance unknown. Terracotta. 2nd half 3rd millennium. L: 11,3 cm; W: 2,4 cm

No. 130 Figurine of a woman her arms raised; wearing a large necklace and bracelets. Tall Halawa. Terracotta. 2nd half 3rd millennium. L: 13,8 cm; W: 2,1 cm; Dm: 3,1
No. 118 Figurine of a naked woman with spread arms (one missing); originally she wore a large necklace. The belly-button and pubic area are distinctly marked. Provenance unknown. 2nd half 3rd millennium. L:8,5 cm; W: 1,4 cm; Th: 0,5 cm

No. 126 Figurine with a bird-like face and a big headdress; the body is very abstract. Provenance unknown. 3rd/2nd millennium. L: 8,7 cm; Dm: 5,9 cm

No. 127 Figurine with a bird-like face, a conical headdress and long hair; the very short arms were pierced to hold something. Provenance unknown. 2nd half 3rd millennium. L: 10,4 cm; W: 5,1 cm
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