Stone anthropomorphic amulet. The figure wears a horned diadem or an animal’s mask.

Morphology of the object:

This small object is a pendant / amulet made out of steatite, the soft metamorphic greenish stone, which has a soapy touch and can be easily engraved. It renders a human figure standing with the legs slightly apart in a walking posture, where the right leg seems like stepping forward. The arms are folded - but not overcrossed - on the chest. The strong thick neck, separated from the body with two deep insicions, is crowned by a horn-shaped strange object. The hole drilled in the middle of the body was used for suspension. With a closer look at the figure, one realises that the actual human body has not been modelled; instead, the neck, the arms and the robust legs fully replace the head as well as the upper and lower body. This final result does not mean that the artist was unable to form a physiocratic and realistic human figure. In fact, this fashion had passed; the rendering of the human figure with anatomical characteristics was practised during the previous long lasting Early and Middle Neolithic periods (6500-5300 BC ).

The amulet bears non additional decoration, being itself a decorative artefact.

-

The anthropomorphic amulets made out of stone are not rare neither are they in great numbers during the greek neolithic era. Among the most prominent are: one amulet of a female figure in the posture of giving birth (photo from Achilleion, Thessaly) and another figure with open legs (photo from a private collection). We cannot forget of course the two plaques rendering a human figure in a contracted position (see the anthropomorphic stone plaque).

Undoubtedly, to this ornament would have been attributed magical and supernatural powers. At that time – as in all times – man believed that his life and deeds were under high, strong and unknown powers, which could be influenced and become beneficial and favourable to him. This amulet, therefore, would provide the owner with good health, strength, prosperity, triumph over the enemy and protection from the natural phenomena.The head of the figure is actually a horn-shaped ending on a broad, thick neck. Thus, it is obvious, that the figure wears either a horned hat or a horned mask. The depiction of a horned mask on a sherd of a final neolithic plate strengthens the second interpretation (photo 16246). From the survived part of the mask on the sherd – painted with thick white praster after the baking of the object ( called ‘crusted ware’) – one could easily recognise the face of an animal belonging into the ‘cat’ family. In other interpretation, the human figure was transformed to boar / taurus or wild (?) cat, i.e. animals with power and strength.

-