Archaeology Magazine - March 1964 - 29

The figurines found at a depth of six meters begin
to show characteristics of the Late Phase of Vinca.
of plastic vases (Figure 6) . Both human and animal Completely flat figures have now disappeared and
forms are included among the free-standing figures. only the mixed type is found. Among seated figures,
Domestic animals (ox, goat, sheep, dog) are most those on a pedestal or throne appear for the first time,
frequently represented (Figure 5), although other as do the kourotrophoi and the cylindrical figures
animals such as birds and frogs are also found. The with marked breasts and long arm-stumps. The bodies
animal figures appear somewhat later than the hu- taper downward.
Above a depth of five meters the mixed figurine
man figures, although both types are found in the
Early Phase. There are also figures representing fan- type continues. Now begins a more marked indicatastic beings with horns and beaks, and monsters tion of hips, often with holes pierced through them.
The body is more and more disproportionate, with a
composed of human and animal elements.
The human figures are female, male or sexless. Fe- short cylindrical lower part and an elongated flat
male figures are the most numerous, mainly distin- upper part. The arms are more often represented as
guished by the plastic modeling of the breasts. The bent at the elbow and placed on the abdomen. Figrare male figures have the genitals indicated (Figure urines seated on pedestals are rare.
The mixed non-steatopygous type continues above
8, left) or wear characteristic caps. The figurines
which show no sex are considered to be female. Some a depth of four meters, with an increasing tendency
figurines seem to represent hermaphrodites (Figure 7) . to two-dimensional treatment. Flat figurines without
A general characteristic of the Vinca figures is the prominent buttocks again appear (Figure 12, center).
prominence of the buttocks. The lines of the groin The hips are still marked, sometimes with a horizontal
and the navel are often indicated. There are also a hole (Figure 12, center and right), as in the level
few figures with deformities (hunchbacks, figures below. Kourotrophoi and figures seated on thrones
with two noses and figures with exaggerated paunches) . begin to degenerate.
The human figures are shown both standing and
sitting. The latter are rarer and appear later than the On the Vinca figurines special attention is paid
former, which are found throughout the whole cul- to the modeling of the head, which is usually stylized.
tural deposit. The standing figures either have hori- There is a definite development both of head and of
zontal arm-stumps or arms and legs represented in face which can be followed from the lowest layers to
movement (this latter is characteristic of those found the surface.
in the upper layers). The sitting figures are of two
In the figurines of the earlier strata the back part
kinds : the first seated on the ground, with out- of the head usually juts out, the face is triangular, the
stretched or bent legs and with arms either short eyes are incised at an angle and the nose is modeled
(Figure 2, right). Figurines found at a depth of
stumps or placed on the abdomen (Figure 10, left),
the second seated on a throne or pedestal, with legs 8-7 m. have the back part of the head elongated and
bent or outstretched (Figure 12, right).
pierced by a row of holes. The face is still triangular,
The upper and lower parts of the bodies are not in but it begins to take on a mask-like appearance and
proper proportion. The whole body can be either the eyes are modeled (Figure 4). In those found
cylindrical or flat, or the lower half can be cylindrical between seven and six meters the upper part of the
and the upper part flat (mixed type, Figure 9). In head is flattened and the back no longer juts out.
the earliest strata the figures are elongated and stea- Instead of the holes, hair appears, represented by
topygous, with the head made in one with the body, incisions (Figure 8, right) ; the eyes are also incised.
or flat figures without accentuated buttocks. In both The crown of the head is often rounded, the face is
types the legs are not indicated and the arm-stumps polygonal in outline and mask-like, the eyes are someare sometimespierced with small holes.
times modeled and the mouth is marked by a hollow
At a depth of eight meters we begin to find fig- (Figure 9). In the next layer above (ca. 6-5 m.) the
urines with legs well indicated and sometimes even head is no longer projecting but slopes toward the
knees (Figure 2, right). At a depth of seven meters nape. The face is still polygonal, with the cheeks acthe figurines begin to have flat trunks, with the lower centuated. The eyes are either incised or modeled
part of the body cylindrical and the legs unseparated. (Figure 10, right). On figurines found between five
This mixed type (see Figure 9) becomes more and and four meters the crown of the head is lower than
more common in succeeding layers, and in some ex- the forehead and in most cases has a row of holes.
amples the body tapers toward the bottom. By this The cheeks are still accentuated and are pierced with
time the flat figures are beginning to disappear.
a hole. The eyes are incised in the form of a semi-

Vinca

continued

Archaeology Magazine - March 1964

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - March 1964