Fragment of a Cycladic figurine group

In addition to the hundreds of canonical-type Cycladic figurines, there are also several examples of 'special' figurines - which respect the artistic conventions used to produce canonical figurines, but which liberties with the art form in a number of different ways. This fragment depicts the torso of a small figurine clasped around the midsection by a pair of hands, obviously belonging to a larger figure. The natural conclusion is that this fragement was part of a figurine group depicting an adult holding a child. Although this is a unique fragment with no known parallels, most scholars believe that it depicts a mother and her child. Certain morphological traits place the group within the tradition of the canonical figurines and date it to the Early Cycladic II period (2800-2300 BC).