Badge with a relief figure

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The plaque with a relief figure is a unique marble artifact of the Bronze Age Cycladic culture . It was discovered during archaeological excavations in the Agrilia burial ground on the Cycladic island of Pano Koufonisi . It is exhibited in the Naxos Archaeological Museum under inventory number 4620.

origin

Cycladic figurine relief, Louros variety, 3200-2300 BC, AM Naxos, 110037.jpg

During the excavations on Pano Koufonisi in 1969 under the direction of Fotini Zapfiropoulou , 72 untouched graves were examined in the Agrilia cemetery . The plaque from the burial chamber of grave 9 was broken during the excavation. It was found together with a pyxis lid; In the antechamber there were fragments of an open clay pot with a temporal coincidence.

description

The roughly rectangular plaque, 135 mm long and 90 mm wide, is made of gray marble. The maximum height is 38 mm. Their surface is well preserved. In contrast to the almost flat, slightly concave underside, a complete figure is carved out on the smooth, slightly convex upper side. It appears as if it were lying on a bed and has slipped slightly off the longitudinal axis. With a maximum height of 104 mm, the width of the figure is 38 mm and the thickness is 15 mm. The broad, slightly triangular head with a curvilinear outline measures 25 mm in height and is the same width as the stubby arms. The slightly protruding chin makes the head look tilted backwards. Opposite the head, the elongated neck protrudes a little to create some space for a 6 mm hole on the support side. The arms are spread out at right angles from the approximately 30 mm long, diamond-shaped torso. The torso tapers towards the bottom and the transition to the legs is fluid. The legs are made as an elongated, almost continuously cylindrical section 40 mm long and 15 mm thick, which becomes even narrower towards the rounded end.

meaning

Zafiropoulou's excavation results from Agrilia confirm the rare addition of marble idols in the graves of the Kampos group . In addition to the relief figure, a fragmented idol head was found in the 72 graves examined. The high-quality works can be attributed to the anthropomorphic idols of the Louro type . The design of the plaque with a relief figure is unique; no comparable works are known. With the arms protruding at right angles, there is great resemblance to one of the idols from Louro's grave 26 The abstract design of the lower torso and the almost uniformly cylindrical legs are rare. The function of the badge has not been clarified. The round hole in the neck area can indicate the use of a cord.

literature

  • Giorgos Gavalas: The marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi. In: Marisa Marthari, Colin Renfrew, Michael Boyd (Eds.): Early Cycladic Sculpture in Context. Oxbow Books, Oxford & Philadelphia 2017, ISBN 978-1-78570-195-5 , pp. 272-296. Description: 274 f.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Zapheiropoulou: Early Bronze Age Cemeteries of the Campos Group on Ano Kouphonisi. 2008, p. 183.
  2. ↑ Gavalas: The marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi. 2017, pp. 272–274, p. 293.
  3. ↑ In the literature there is no uniform designation: "plaquette en pierre" Photini Zapheiropoulou: Un cimetière du Cycladique ancien à Epano Koufonisia. In: Georges Rougemont, Marie-Françoise Bousac (eds.): Les Cyclades. Matériaux pour a étude de geographie historique. Edition de Center National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris 1983, ISBN 2-222-03311-X , Fig. 14, p. 83; "Marble table" Jürgen Thimme (Ed.): Art and culture of the Cyclades Islands in the 3rd millennium BC. CF Müller, Karlsruhe 1976, ISBN 3-7880-9568-7 , Fig. 186, p. 454; “Stone palette” Jörg Rambach: Cyclades II. The early Bronze Age. Early Bronze Age additional customs circles on the Cyclades, relative chronology and distribution. Habelt, Bonn 2000, ISBN 3-7749-2831-2 , p. 214; “Steinplättchen” Jörg Rambach: Cyclades I. The early Bronze Age - grave and settlement findings . Habelt, Bonn 2000, ISBN 3-7749-2831-2 , p. 172. "Plakette" Eva Alram-Stern (Ed.): The Aegean Early Period. 2nd series. Research report 1975-2004. The Early Bronze Age in Greece with the exception of Crete. Publishing house of the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Vienna 2004, ISBN 978-3-7001-3268-4 , 2 volumes, p. 889; "Plaque" Jörg Rambach: Schematic marble figurines from secure Early Cycladic I grave contexts on the islands of Ano Kouphonisi, Antiparos, Dhespotiko, Naxos, Paros and Siphnos. In: Marisa Marthari, Colin Renfrew, Michael Boyd (Eds.): Early Cycladic Sculpture in Context. Oxbow Books, Oxford & Philadelphia 2017, ISBN 978-1-78570-195-5 , p. 65; “Plaquette” Gavalas: The marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi. 2017, p. 274 f.
  4. ↑ Slightly different dimensions at: Φωτεινή Ζαφειροπούλου [Fotini Zafiropoulou]: Κουφονήσι. In: Ministry of Culture and Sciences (ed.): Archeologikon Deltion [Αρχαιολογικόν Δελτίον], Volume 25 (1970) B2, Athens 1973, p. 429; Φωτεινή Ζαφειροπούλου [Fotini Zafiropoulou]: Πρωτοκυκλαδικά ευρήματα εκ Κουφονησίου. In: Athens Annals of Archeology. Volume III, number 1 (1970), Athens 1969, p. 50 f; Zapheiropoulou: Un cimetière du Cycladique ancien à Epano Koufonisia. 1983, p. 83.
  5. ↑ Jörg Rambach: Cyclades II. The early Bronze Age. Early Bronze Age additional customs circles on the Cyclades, relative chronology and distribution. Habelt, Bonn 2000, ISBN 3-7749-2831-2 , p. 214.
  6. ↑ Gavalas: The marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi. 2017, p. 295 .; Rambach: Cyclades II. The early Bronze Age. Early Bronze Age additional customs circles on the Cyclades, relative chronology and distribution. 2000, p. 214.
  7. ^ Louros idol (NAMA 6140.10) illustration
  8. ↑ Gavalas: The marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi. 2017, p. 291.
  9. ↑ Gavalas: The marble figurines from sites on Epano and Kato Kouphonisi. 2017, p. 293.