Museum of: Bucharest
    Name of the artefact: The Fox of Pietrele
   
The figurine, made of polished, grey clay, is one of the most realistic zoomorphic statuettes discovered in Romania
                                 
 
WHERE IS IT AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
  
STATE
Department:
Archaeology
Preservation:
 Very good
Inventory number:
13724
Restauration:
 Restored
Name of the artefact:
The Fox of Pietrele
Completeness:
 Complete
Object type:
Animal figurine
  
Material:
Clay
Methof of manufacture:
Shaping
Decoration type:
No decoration
Distinctive mark:
-
DIMENSIONS
  
PERIOD OF USE
Length (mm):
53
Epoque:
Neolithic
Heigth (mm):
-
Culture:
Gumelniţa
Diameter (mm):
-
Period:
Eneolithic
Width (mm):
38
Face:
A2
Thickness (mm):
-
Absolute chronology:
4500-4000 BC
Weight (g):
-
DISCOVERY
Date:
1948
Country:
Romania
District:
Giurgiu
Town hall affiliation:
Băneasa
Village:
Pietrele
Discovery findspot:
Gorganu
Condition of discovery:
Archaeological excavation
Discovery type:
Dwelling
 
ANALYSES – DETERMINATIONS
 
FILLED IN BY
Type:
-
Name:
Radian Andreescu, Katia Moldoveanu
Laboratory:
-
Institution:
Romanian National History Museum
No./Code:
-
Date:
07/12/2005
 
DEEPENINGS

Morphology of the object:
The head of the figurine has pointed ears and the eyes marked by horizontal incisions. The long snout has the mouth marked by an incision. The body is bending. The tightly front legs lay down under the body and the back legs reaching toward head. This position suggests that the animal, probably a fox, is slipping or resting.

Decoration:
-

Inscription:
-

Analogies:
The zoomorphic figurines are relatively numerous in the sites belonging to Gumelniţa civilization. Most of them are very schematic modelled, sometimes even roughly and they often represent bovines. Wild animals as deer, fox, and turtle can be found rarer. Few figurines representing heads of pig, deer and fox are modelled in a realistic manner with focusing on the anatomic details. Zoomorphic vessels are a special category, some of them being realistic modelled and having a sophisticate decoration.

Interpretation:
The obvious attitude of resting of this animal could be linked with some magical rituals of hunt. The animal could also have a special meaning for the human community, being a kind of totem.
Bibliography:
Author: Dumitrescu, Vl Title: Arta preistorică în România Place: Bucureşti Year: 1974 2. Author: Berciu, D Title: Cercetări arheologice în regiunea Bucureşti Periodical: Materiale şi cercetări arheologice Volume: II Place:Bucureşti Year: 1956 3. Author: Gimbutas, Marija Title: The Gods and Goddesses of Old Europe Place: London Year: 1974