Cycladic figurine

This erect figure of Greek island marble depicts a naked female in a frontal pose. This example of Cycladic sculpture typifies, in both form and subject, the classic expression of the human figure in Greek island art during the third millennium B.C. The head is lyre-shaped with the crest markedly broadened, and a strong vertical nose that bisects the convex curvature of the face. The arms of the figure are modeled and horizontally set; no indications of fingers are present. While the breasts are clearly indicated, the figure is not perfectly symmetrical as one breast is slightly higher than the other. Incising forms the abdominal and inguinal lines indicating the pubic triangle. The thighs are heavy and taper without disruption at the knee into the lower legs and smooth feet lack indications of toes. The leg-cleft is unperforated and only slightly deeper than the incisions that form the pubic area. The leg-cleft is similar on the back of the figure, and the spine is rendered in a like manner. The buttocks are clearly modeled.

This figurine belongs to the Spedos variety of Early Cycladic marble sculpture. The lyre-shaped head, rounded chin, convex face, folded-arm pattern, and modeled waist of this example are attributes common to this group. Lack of distinction between the upper and lower legs is not a typical feature of the Spedos variety, but is more common to the Dokathismata variety, which appears to overlap in date with later examples of the Spedos variety. The clear modeling of the buttocks on this figure is an unusual feature in a Cycladic marble figurine.

Although marble figurines of human form are known from the Neolithic period in the Cyclades, the best-known types are from the Early Bronze Age, or the Early Cycladic period. The figurines, predominantly female, are generally upright (or reclining), even though they are not usually displayed that way in museums. They emerge in limited numbers in Early Cycladic I (EC I), reach their peak of production during EC II, are significantly reduced in number by EC III, and become virtually nonexistent by the Middle Cycladic period. Although examples of the canonical types are known in ivory, bone, shell, clay, and metal, the primary material is coarse-grained marble, which is found on most Cycladic islands and is the dominant stone of some.

The vast majority of recorded find spots are island graves, a fact that has led to a number of plausible interpretations for the figurines. They have been compared to the Egyptian "ushabtis," magical workers who served the dead. For the Cycladic peoples, the purpose of these figurines has been considered to be of a sexual nature, given their strong fertility elements. Others regard them as substitutes for human sacrifice, toys (although none have thus far been found in children's graves), underworld guides for the dead, mythical characters, or divinities, especially the Great Mother Goddess of fertility, although a number of the figures are male. Each argument, with its strengths and weaknesses, underscores our need for more precise information about these graceful and simplistic images that have much visual appeal.

**Adapted from**

Anne R. Bromberg, and Karl Kilinski II, _Gods, Men, and Heroes: Ancient Art at the Dallas Museum of Art_. (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1996), 43.