Marble, female,steatopygic figurine, standing in a severe position with a polos on her head. The latter as well as the incised symbols on her shoulders may indicate a goddess or a priestess.

Morphology of the object:

This intact figurine renders a female figure in severe stance. There is a distinct tripartited division. The head is set on a tall, strong erect neck. The facial features, mouth, nose, eyes, eyebrows and ears have been rendered by modelling. Instead of hair on top of the head there is a discoid covering; it is called ‘polos’, a kind of a ritual hat which is found in representations of goddesses or priestesses in later times. The upper part of the body is straight and severe. Geometric in outline, it is enclosed by the arms folded but not overcrossed on the chest, below the breasts. The fingers are broadly rendered with few horizontal incisions. The waist is quite slim compared to the size of the figurine and definatelly separates the upper from the lower part of the body. The lower part of the body, in contrast to the upper, is fleshy, very feminine and juicy. The belly is protruded and a hole in the middle of it indicates the belly button. The hips are highly modelled, as to give the impression that the woman could be seated and not standing. The latter could be strengthened by the disproportionally very short below the knees legs.

Some red pigment traces on the face and pubic triangle would indicate that the figure had painted decoration, like the clay figurine from Sesklo (photo no.5941). However, the incised decoration on this marble figurine is its basic characteristic. On the shoulders there have been incised zig-zag lines on the right and on the left encapsulated lonzenges with parallel sides. These marks could be simple decorative; they could also be decorative tatoos or they could indicate a kind of script.

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The production of figures during the early and middle neolithic periods is mainly constituted of clay female figurines. Marble as material for figurines was used later, in the late and final neolithic periods. Thus, this figurine from Sparta is among the unique neolithic objects in Greece that are made from marble and date to 6500-5300BC. At the same place with this figure, three more marble female figurines were found, much smaller in size. Unknown, however, remains if these products were locally made or were brought by trade from another place.

Τhe modeling of the female figurines during the Early and Middle Neolithic period (6500-5300 BC ) present some typical characteristics; these are the profound naturalism, the pronounced masses of breasts, buttocks, belly and thighs (photo no 16500), the richness in the hairdressing (photos no 16398, 16385, 16397) and the variety of their position (photos no 16479, 16475, 16488). Although no cult places have been identified with certainty in the neolithic settlements, all these figurines have been interpreted as divine creatures, since woman was the life source of neolithic man. Another interpretation wants these figurines as educational / communicative means for the whole community, something like ‘photographic’ presentation of women in connection with their basic roles, those of pregnancy, giving birth and suckling. This marble figurine, compared with the others, has got not only the feminine traits but also the severe attitude, the straight posture with the hands folded below the breasts, the ornaments on the arms and the head covering as well as the careful workmanship. All these point to the artist’s wish to create not simply a distinct female figure, but a Goddess.

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