Mapungubwe Clay Figurines: Prehistoric Miniature Sculpture

The Mapungubwe figurine collection originates from the archaeology of a world heritage site. Unearthed by archaeologists in the 1930s, they are  more than stylistic narratives or representations. Instead, they are images of identity miniaturised in clay by human construction.

There are over 300 complete, incomplete and partially stylised naturalistic human and animal clay figurines within the Mapungubwe Collection. Realistic portrayals or not, each mini work is a sculpture produced by a past artist and provides a glimpse into past societies.

Clay figurines are constructed by hand from raw clay, moulded, shaped and formed by an idea into a tactile object. Such ideas carry social meaning and beliefs. Figurines are formed to hold multiple meanings or several puposes, reflecting a shared visual of human and animals forms.

Prehistoric figurines are sculptured then sometimes decorated within incisions, lines, punctates and perforations. Artisans select, make, shape, and visualise their ideas in clay. They use, symbolise, ritualise, and create figurines for social meaning - clay is not just material.

Over time, the meaning of figurines changes. Once used in a household or within a community, they are eventually discarded, buried, break, and deteriorate. Once excavated, they acquire new meaning and are for research then described, catagorised, analysed, and interpreted.

Clay was shaped to represent domestic and wild animals as physical and abstract forms. The clay figurines were an embodiment of both human nature's preference for animals within their immediate environment and their place in the natural world.

The clay animal figurines in the Mapungubwe Collection are mostly depictions of domestic animals such as cattle, cows, goats and sheep. Wild animals are rare, with the expection of a clay figurine of a giraffe and a springhare.

A small cattle figurine (53.63mm x 26. 70mm) with horns now broken away and a stumpy tail. Excavated from the site of K2, block A2, section 2 dating approximately from CE 1030 to CE 1220 and produced from low fired clay. Part of Mapungubwe National Heritage Collection #N308.

Domestic ewe or female sheep (Ovis aries) figurine (58.01mm x 25.35mm) with visible dewlap and distinct udder beneath belly. Excavated from Mapungubwe Hill in the 1930s from block 6, section 1, dating CE 1220 to CE 1290 and produced from low-fired clay.

A small ( 30.40mm x 20.15mm) domestic goat, Capra hircus clay figurine excavated from Mapungubwe Hill, block 5, section 5. Formed from low-fired clay and dating to CE 1220 to CE 1290. Part of Mapungubwe National Heritage Collection #N317.

The human figurines depict both the male and female figure. There is a presence of breasts, navals, buttocks as well as stumpy arms, stubby legs, with facial features almost non-existent. The human torso is also frequently decorated, appreciating the beauty of the human body.

The human figurines in the Mapungubwe Collection represent the artist's social and religious beliefs, their cultural values and technological skills. They suggest societal views of gender and identity, and most of all symbolises the past beautification of the human body.

Fragment of decorated human torso (47.89mm x 29.97mm) with punctates running down to legs. No navel present, but pronounded buttocks. K2, block 5, section 14, produced by hand into low-fired clay dating CE 1030- CE 1220. Mapungubwe National Heritage Collection #N302.

An elongated torso of human clay figurine (66.50mm x 28.44mm), decoarted with punctates/ dot patterns down and around protruding navel. K2, test trench 3, block 2 layer 20, made from low-fired clay dating CE 1030 to CE 1220.

Decorated clay figurine fragment of possible female torso with horizontal lines around a pronounced navel. Excavated from Mapungubwe Hill, block 5, section 1, produced by hand from low-fired clay. Dating CE 1220 - CE 1290. Mapungubwe Declared National Heritage Collection # N303.

Fragment of decorated human torso (77.48mm x 32.98mm) with perforations on the torso from K2, block 4, section 4, produced by hand from low-fired clay dating CE 1030 to CE 1220. Mapungubwe National Heritage Collection #N298.

Very small human figurine with two legs and a perforation below a rounded head (148mm x 63mm) from K2,test trench 3, block A2, layer 2. Produced by hand, from low-fired clay dating CE 1030 - CE 1220.

Partial human figurine depicting two stumpy arms and protrusions as breasts, with decoration above the navel (103.62mm x 38.90mm) from K2, block 1, section 13, produced by hand, from low-fired clay dating CE 1030 - CE 1220. Mapungubwe National Heritage Collection #N295.

The Mapungubwe Collection also holds some truly unique clay figurines depicting complex details and decorated forms. These 13th century African clay figurines originate mostly from K2 and much lower quantities were from Mapungubwe Hill, where 18 clay figurines were unearthed.

This large human clay figurine (47.70mm x 63.32mm) is the only one recovered from Mapungubwe Hill block 1 section 3. It is the only figurine that depicts facial features such as eyes and a mouth represented by three impressed dots. The figure dates from CE 1220 - CE 1290.