Maria Mitina
Saint Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions; The State Hermitage Museum, Russia
The interpretation of the decoration of Neolithic-Chalcolithic figurines is still an open problem. Examination of this problem helps to set directions for future research: either reconstruction of real clothing, or the study of connection between the decoration of figurines and ceramics ornamentation. Besides decorational theory there are other opinions (as representation of tattoo or ritual swaddle of a deceased person.
The ornamentation is conditioned by several factors: stylized design, imitation of weaving and, in my opinion, the most important factor — the human body is the primary element for the artist, while clothes are only secondary. That’s why the dress is rendered flat. This shows the understanding of the human body in Tripolye-Cucuteni art. Clothing is merely some kind of a thin shell covering the body. It is no wonder, that costume is a gender denominator. According to Tripolye-Cucuteni and Balkan Neolithic material representation of genitals is of secondary importance for the artists.
Thus, identifying the decoration of figurines as representation of clothes, we can propose for future research the study of figurines as art objects, where decoration is an important iconographical attribute.