Mitina M. Anthropomorphic Figurines from Tripolye-Cucuteni: Decor Peculiarities and Its Interpretation.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://dx.doi.org/10.18688/aa166-1-1
Title Anthropomorphic Figurines from Tripolye-Cucuteni: Decor Peculiarities and Its Interpretation.
Author email mitina.mary@gmail.com
About author Mitina, Maria Nikolaevna — Ph. D. student. Saint Petersburg University of the Humanities and Social Sciences, Fuchika Str., 15, 192238 St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.
In the section Art of the Ancient World DOI10.18688/aa166-1-1
Year 2016 Volume 6 Pages 17–22
Type of article RAR Index UDK 738.8 Index BBK 85.13
Abstract

The article deals with the figurines of Tripolye-Cucuteni and the problem of its decor interpretation. The analysis of the decoration of the majority of the statuettes, namely almost a complete covering of the figurines’ surfaces with decor and the rhythm of linings, suggests its close similarity with textile ornaments. The aim of the article was to find evidence that the decor of the figures mostly resembles garments. Their linear depiction marks out the statuettes of Neolith and the Bronze Age in Europe from the figurines of subsequent periods. The interpretation problem of these figurines is still unsolved. Because of the variety of forms and decorations, we cannot solve this problem through unequivocal assumptions that such
figures are the images of gods and goddesses of the early agricultural pantheon. It would be more productive to concede that at least some figures are the images of real or mythical ancestors such as ancient Lares and Penates. In this case, the research of the statue decor and the clothes, as an attribute of a character, allows for further concretization of the characters and their place in the structure of ancient European art.
Keywords
Reference Mitina M. Anthropomorphic Figurines from Tripolye-Cucuteni: Decor Peculiarities and Its Interpretation.. Actual Problems of Theory and History of Art: Collection of articles. Vol. 6. Eds: Anna V. Zakharova, Svetlana V. Maltseva, Ekaterina Yu. Stanyukovich-Denisova. St. Petersburg, NP-Print Publ., 2016, pp. 17–22. ISSN 2312-2129. http://dx.doi.org/10.18688/aa166-1-1
Publication Article language russian
Bibliography
  • Bailey D. W. Prehistoric Figurines: Representation and Corporeality in the Neolithic. London, Routledge Publ., 2005. 243 p.
  • Gheorghiu D.; Cyphers A. Anthropomorphic and Zoomorphic Miniature Figures in Eurasia, Africa and Meso-America. Morphology, Materiality, Technology and Context. British Archaeological Reports: International series. Oxford, Archaeopress Publ., 2010, pp. 61–72.
  • Gimbutas M. The Gods and Goddesses of Old Europe, 7000 to 3500 BC: Myths, Legends and Cult Images. London, Thames & Hudson Publ., 1974. 303 p.
  • Hansen S. Pietrele an der Unteren Donau. Bericht über die Ausgrabungen und geomorphologischen Untersuchungen im Sommer 2011. Eurasia Antiqua, vol. 18. Bonn, Rudolf Habelt Verlag Publ., 2012, pp. 1–68 (in German).
  • Hutton R. The Neolithic Great Goddess: A Study in Modern Tradition. Antiquity, 1997, vol. 71, no. 271, pp. 91–99.
  • Kozhin P. M. Znachenie keramiki v izuchenii drevnikh etnokul’turnykh protsessov. Keramika kak istoricheskiy istochnik (Ceramics as Historical Source). Novosibirsk, 1989, pp. 54–70 (in Russian).
  • Masson V. M.; Sarianidi V. I. Sredneaziatskaya terrakota epokhi bronzy. Opyt klassifikatsii i interpretatsii (Central Asian Terracotta from the Bronze Age. Experience of Classification and Interpretation). Moscow, 1973. 210 p. (in Russian).
  • Merlini M. A Semiotix Matrix to Distinguish between Decorations and Signs of Writing Employed by the Danube Civilization. Acta Terrae Septemcastrensis VI, 2007, pp. 73–130.
  • Novitskaya M. A. K voprosu o tekstile tripol’skoy kul’tury. Arkheologiya II (Archeology II). Kyiv, 1948, pp. 44–61 (in Russian).
  • Palaguta I. Technical Decoration of the Tripolye Ceramics. Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia, vol. 37 (2). Amsterdam, Elsevier Publ., 2009, pp. 85–91.
  • Palaguta I. V.; Mitina M. N. On the Problem of Interpretation of the Neolithic Anthropomorphic Clay Sculpture: Figurine Sets — Their Structure, Functions and Analogies. Anthropomorphism and Symbolic Behaviour in the Neolithic and Copper Age Communities of S-E Europe. Suceava, 2014, pp. 275–301.
  • Perlès C. The Early Neolithic in Greece. The First Farming Communities in Europe. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press Publ., 2001. 372 p.
  • Pogozheva A. P. Antropomorfnaya plastika Tripol’ya (Anthropomorphic Plastic of Tripoli). Novosibirsk, 1983. 145 p. (in Russian).
  • Rybakov B. A. Cosmology and Mythology of Chalcolithic Agriculturalist. Sovetskaya arkheologiia (Soviet Archeology), 1965, no. 1, pp. 24–47 (in Russian).
  • Todorova Kh.; Vaysov I. Novokamennata epokha v B”lgariia (Neolithic Age in Bulgaria). Sofia, Nauka i izkustvo Publ., 1993. 321 p. (in Bulgarian).
  • Videyko M. Y. Arkheologichni pam’yatki tripil’s’koï kul’turi na teritoriï Ukraïni. Entsiklopediya Tripol’skoy tsivilizatsii, vol. 1. Kyiv, 2004, pp. 564–565 (in Ukrainian).