Anthropomorphic Sculptures Research Articles

Miniature Anthropomorphic Sculptures from Ust-Voikary: Chronology, Context, Semantics

We publish a sample of anthropomorphic sculptures unearthed in 2012–2016 at the Ust-Voikary fortified settlement in the circumpolar zone of Western Siberia. This is one of the permafrost sites, where artifacts made of organic materials are well preserved. The vast majority of the sculptures are made of wood, two of sheet metal, and one from a limonite concretion. Four main categories are identified: busts, heads, relatively full anthropomorphic figurines, and masks on sticks. Most of the sculptures follow the tradition of Ob-Ugric art, while a few can be attributed to Samoyedic art. Some figurines have additional elements such as rows of notches and diamond-shaped signs. According to ethnographic data, these signs endowed the sculptures with a sacral status. The finds have a clear archaeological, architectural, and dendrochronological context. Most were discovered in cultural layers dating to the early 1500s to early and mid-1700s. The artistic style is analyzed, and parallels are cited. The sculptures are compared with 18th to early 20th century ethnographic data. The connection of most figurines with dwellings, their small size and style show that they all belong to the ritual wooden anthropomorphic sculpture and were attributes of domestic sanctuaries. They fall into two main categories: family patron spirits and ittarma—temporary abodes of souls of the dead.

A Newly Discovered Anthropomorphic Vessel from Eastern Bulgaria

The topic of prehistoric anthropomorphic sculpture, its presentation and interpretation are widely covered in the works of Marija Gimbutas. In her honor is the submitted paper, which presents a representative and very interesting vessel. It is a vessel in the shape of a human body, rare in the Eneolithic era.The vessel was found accidentally on the surface of a settlement mound. It is partially preserved, but the available fragments allow to restore its shape and ornamentation. The massive legs and long feet allow the vessel to be placed upright. It is one of the most impressive specimens among this type of finds which represents a female mythological image, probably the Mother Goddess. Specific shape and ornamentation of the vessel suggest representative functions, probably used in various rites associated with prayers for fertility.

Антропоморфная деревянная скульптура как категория языческих древностей средневекового Новгорода (хронология, топография, семантика)

Anthropomorphic wooden sculpture of small forms is one of the categories of pagan antiquities of medieval Russia. The Novgorod collection of such finds is the most important one and allows for a comprehensive analysis, including morphological, stratigraphic and topographic studies. Thanks to the introduction of new finds into scientific discussion, the typology was clarified, and the main variants of images were considered. The chronology of anthropomorphic sculpture corresponds to the dating of other categories of pagan cult objects. The variety of types and variants falls on the pagan period and the first century after baptism. The exception is wooden finials, the use of which continues until the early 14th century. Topographic analysis shows that most of the finds are localized in structures, which indicates the use of small anthropomorphic sculptures as housing apotropaea. Perhaps the semantic meaning of this category of cult objects should be sought in the cults of “domestic” gods, such as Rod or Svarozhich, and a connection with the archaic traditions of house-building magic is not excluded.

Museum Matters: Making and Unmaking Mexico's National Collections

Museum Matters: Making and Unmaking Mexico's National Collections

The golden ratio as an ecological affordance leading to aesthetic attractiveness.

The golden ratio (GR) is an irrational number (close to 1.618) that repeatedly occurs in nature as well as in masterpieces of art. The GR has been considered a proportion perfectly representing beauty since ancient times, and it was investigated in several scientific fields, but with conflicting results. This study aims at investigating if this proportion is associated with a judgment of beauty independently of the type of the stimulus, and the factors that may affect this aesthetic preference. In Experiment 1, an online psychophysical questionnaire was administered to 256 volunteers asked to choose among three possible proportions between the parts of the same stimulus (GR, 1.5, and 1.8). In Experiment 2, we recorded eye movements in 15 participants who had to express an aesthetic judgment on the same stimuli of Experiment 1. The results revealed a slight overall preference for GR (53%, p < .001), with higher preferences for stimuli representing humans, anthropomorphic sculptures, and paintings, regardless of the cultural level. In Experiment 2, a shorter dwell time was significantly associated with a better aesthetic judgment (p=.005), suggesting the possibility that GR could be associated with easier visual processing, and it could be hence considered as a visual affordance.

THE SEREZLIIVKA TYPE FIGURINES AS AN EVIDENCE OF CONTACTS DURING THE LATE ENEOLITHIC

The author analyzes the find of a new clay figurine of the Serezliіvka type at the Maikop culture settlement «Chekon» in the Kuban region. This find can be compared with figurines from burials of the Late Eneolithic in the interfluve of the Dnieper and the Southern Bug rivers. 25 figurines in 10 burials were found in this region. One figurine is known from the Trypillia settlement of Sandraki on the Southern Bug river (period Trypillia C/II). Two figurines are known in the burial on the Black Sea coast and one another in the Crimea.&#x0D; Figurines of the Serzliivka type are typical for the local Dnieper-Bug cultural group of the Late Eneolithic. This local group is characterized by features of the Lower Mikhailivka and Kvitiana cultures, as well as elements of the Latest Trypillia. The character of the clay of the statues is very close to the Tripolye ceramics and is not typical for the steppe ceramic traditions.&#x0D; The figurines have three form options in the design of the head and specific ornamentation of the drawn lines. The author notes the special features in the form, ornament and technology of making a figurine from the settlement «Chekon» in comparison with the Dnieper-Bug region. This figurine is an imitation of «classic» figurines from region between the Dnieper and Southern Bug rivers. The mobile population, which left on the territory of the Black Sea steppe burials of the Zhyvotylivka-Vovchansk type, could be the mediators in the emergence of this type of anthropomorphic sculpture so far from the main zone of its distribution. In this context, it is very important to note that ceramic products were found in the settlement, analogies of which are known in the settlements of Trypillia C/II. These artefakts from the settlement are important for the development of the concept of coexistence of the steppe population of the Late Eneolithic in the context of the development of agricultural societies.

Artistic explorations of Lviv artists of decorative and applied arts in small-scale plastics of the second half of the 20th century: image of a human being

The present article examines the special characteristics of the development of small-scale sculpture as an independent phenomenon in Lviv fine arts of the second half of the 20th century within the framework of the interpretation of a human being image, since the following problem has not been sufficiently studied in Ukrainian art criticism. In particular, the research focuses on the specific features of artistic experiments of the representatives of decorative and applied art in the field of anthropomorphic sculpture; traces characteristic features of conceptual and modelling solutions; identifies artistic and stylistic features and peculiarities of the representation of a human being image. The author stresses upon the role of Lviv Ceramic and Sculpture Factory that largely set trends in the development of small-scale sculpture. In addition, as based on works of famous representatives of Lviv school of decorative arts, the author identifies the variety of interpretations and wide range of modelling means as well as traces the most vivid anthropomorphic designs.

URALS ANTHROPOMORPHIC IMAGES IN STONE, CLAY AND ENGRAVINGS

Despite its rarity, wooden sculpture of the Urals has been the subject of numerous publications and scientific researches. The anthropomorphic sculptures made of stone, clay, and engraved anthropomorphic images are less known. Currently, the literature describes about 400 images of living creatures found in the Urals and the adjacent Trans-Urals and dated in the time range from the Paleolithic to the Bronze Age. Anthropomorphic images are represented by 60 artifacts, which is only 15 % of the total. Anthropomorphic stone images can be roughly divided into round, flat and flint sculptures. Pendants made in the form of a human head are very interesting. Clay figures are represented by images of women and separate heads. Anthropomorphic engraved images on stone and bone are rare finds. Images of anthropomorphic figures on ceramic vessels constitute a separate group. Most of the sculptural and graphic images dates back to the Neolithic and the Eneolithic.

The Siberian Paleolithic site of Mal'ta: a unique source for the study of childhood archaeology.

As a gendered perspective has emerged in wider society over the past 50 or so years, a greater interest in gender- and age-related research in science has similarly occurred, including for the study of the past (archaeology) and the present (ethnology). Here, I focus on the Mal'ta collection - a well-known Ice Age site located in Siberia. In particular, I focus on several mammoth ivory anthropomorphic sculptures which appear to reflect stages of human childhood, including infancy and the teenage years. These sculptures feature realistic elements, including proportions of each phase of childhood consistent with anthropometric data, details of clothing and accessories, and special benchmarks of puberty. Based on these figurines, I propose a developmental framework of the Paleolithic child from this society. Additionally, I discuss the burial of two children also found at Mal'ta, which provides additional insights into childhood within this Ice Age society. Particular attention is given to artefacts such as the 'hanging birds' and animal figurines with a flat base for standing. These artefacts could be interpreted as toys, as amulets for a child's cradle or as family heirlooms, with analogies to such objects preserved in the cultures of the aboriginal population of Siberia and the Far North.

The Use of 3D-Modeling for Reconstructing the Appearance and Function of Non-Utilitarian Items (the Case of Anthropomorphic Figurines from Tourist-2)

This article presents the results of study of an Early Bronze ivory figurine from Tourist-2, using 3D-scanning with various technical parameters. The aim of the study was to test the new non-invasive methods of structured light 3D-scanning, with an accurate assessment of morphometric characteristics. In addition, use-wear analysis was employed to evaluate the previously unknown features relating to function. As a result, the original appearance of the figurine, the manufacturing technique, and iconographic characteristics were reconstructed. A series of transverse sections and the evaluation of the center of mass, combined with previously known features, suggest that the figurine was a personal ornament sewn onto clothing. For comparison, two flat anthropomorphic sculptures (a buckle made of burl, and a shale figurine) from the same burial complex were analyzed. Longitudinal sections suggest that, despite morphological and technological differences and the fact that various raw materials had been used, the iconographic style of all items is one and the same.

The Ecole francaise d'Extreme-Orient - Sarawak Museum Department Archaeological Project in Santubong

Archaeological research in Sarawak began just after the Second World War under the leadership of Tom Harrisson. As Curator of the Sarawak Museum since 1947, he began exploring the Sarawak River Delta, a 600 km area between Telaga Air in the northwest, Tanjung Sipang in the north, Tanjung Po in the northeast, Samarahan in the southeast and Kampung Makam in the southwest. It is the village of Santubong at the mouth of the Santubong River, one of the branches of the delta, that first caught Harrisson's attention because of observations and chance finds made there since the middle of the nineteenth century. Mention should be made of the famous Batu Gambar, an anthropomorphic sculpture in high relief on a rock at the Sungai Jaong site, rediscovered by a local in the 1880s, and near which was found a "Hindu" terracotta figurine, of carved stones reported at the beginning of the twentieth century on the neighbouring site of Bongkissam, "Indian character" pottery, as well as various objects in gold, Chinese coins and a few residues from ironworking (cf. especially Evans 1929).

Mesolithic anthropomorphic sculptures from the Northern Europe

This article presents and discusses a small but distinctive group of anthropomorphic antler sculptures from Northern Europe. Five sculptures from two locations, dated to the late 7th – early 6th millennia cal BC, are included in this study. By contextualising this group with broader traditions of Mesolithic art in the Northern and Eastern European forest zone, the distinctive elements – a deliberate lack of bodily and facial details or a peculiar way of depicting faces – are demonstrated. A significant resemblance with these sculptures and wrapped corpses suggests that the sculptures depict either the dead members of these communities or persons capable of switching between different conditions. If this interpretation is correct, it suggests that the agency of the dead members at that time was perceived very differently from what we see in anthropological analogies or in the anthropomorphic figurines from the later archaeological record.

Classification of 3D Archaeological Objects Using Multi-View Curvature Structure Signatures

We propose a generalized 3D shape descriptor for the efficient classification of 3D archaeological artifacts. Our descriptor is based on a multi-view approach of curvature features, consisting of the following steps: pose normalization of 3D models, local curvature descriptor calculation, construction of 3D shape descriptor using the multi-view approach and curvature maps, and dimensionality reduction by random projections. We generate two descriptors from two different paradigms: 1) handcrafted, wherein the descriptor is manually designed for object feature extraction, and directly passed on to the classifier and 2) machine learnt, in which the descriptor automatically learns the object features through a pretrained deep neural network model (VGG-16) for transfer learning and passed on to the classifier. These descriptors are applied to two different archaeological datasets: 1) non-public Mexican dataset, represented by a collection of 963 3D archaeological objects from the Templo Mayor Museum in Mexico City that includes anthropomorphic sculptures, figurines, masks, ceramic vessels, and musical instruments; and 2) 3D pottery content-based retrieval benchmark dataset, consisting of 411 objects. Once the multi-view descriptors are obtained, we evaluate their effectiveness by using the following object classification schemes: $K$ -nearest neighbor, support vector machine, and structured support vector machine. Our object descriptors classification results are compared against five popular 3D descriptors in the literature, namely, rotation invariant spherical harmonic, histogram of spherical orientations, signature of histograms of orientations, symmetry descriptor, and reflective symmetry descriptor. Experimentally, we were able to verify that our machine learnt and handcrafted descriptors offer the best classification accuracy (20% better on average than comparative descriptors), independently of the classification methods. Our proposed descriptors are able to capture sufficient information to discern among different classes, concluding that it adequately characterizes the datasets.

Early art in the Urals: new research on the wooden sculpture from Shigir

Abstract

Erotismo y belleza en la antigua cultura náhuatl: aproximaciones para su estudio

El proposito del articulo es explorar los ambitos del cuerpo, el erotismo y la belleza entre los antiguos nahuas. A traves de la escultura antropomorfa, los textos etnohistoricos, las representaciones pictoricas y la lengua nahuatl, se reconstruyen las ideas esteticas y eroticas de la antigua cultura nahua. En el texto se consideran narrativas y descripciones que nos hablan del cuerpo erotico femenino y masculino: las caricias de las prostitutas a los ixiptlahuan de los dioses antes de morir, el galanteo en el cuicacalli entre los guerreros y las prostitutas; asi como el uso del maquillaje, pintura y lenguaje corporal femeninos.

Paleopathological interpretations of hypermobility syndrome in the art from ancient America

Paleopathological representations of hypermobility syndrome were assumed in pre-Columbian artifacts from different ancient civilizations from America. Anthropomorphic sculptures from several museums and galleries visited on site or thru Internet show the human figure in contorted positions. These positions are only possible within well-trained individuals or persons with hyperextensibility of the joints.

Bone anthropomorphic sculpture from the ust-polui sanctuary

The article examines a unique bone anthropomorphic fi gurine from the ancient Ust-Polui sanctuary (1st century BC –1st century AD), located within the boundaries of the town of Salekhard. A detailed description of the fi nd and the circumstances of its discovery are provided. The article traces parallels for the fi gurine over a signifi cant chronological period (from the Early Iron Age to the ethnographic present). The fi gurine is dated to around the end of the Kulaika period and was used in rituals where it was made offerings of fat or blood.

The Destruction of Images in Teotihuacan: Anthropomorphic Sculpture, Elite Cults, and the End of a Civilization

The Destruction of Images in Teotihuacan: Anthropomorphic Sculpture, Elite Cults, and the End of a Civilization

La France de l'Ouest (Bretagne, Pays de la Loire)

Cult places and practices of Western Gaul are mentioned by some Classical writers (Diodorus, Strabo. ..). In this area, archaeological investigations have brought to light very few monumental shrines, but a great number of religious activities of various kinds. In another hand, among Gallo-Roman sanctuaries with earlier occupation levels, some reveal a continuity of the religious function between the Iron Age and Roman period. In funerary contexts, religious manifestations are represented by offerings or by architectural remains ; numerous standing stones, recorded in Western Gaul, can be considered as commemorative monuments, like anthropomorphic sculptures. The last ones are generally found in settlements where cult enclosures and ritual deposits are also attested. Lastly, coin offerings and objects deposits in watery contexts are other testimonies of these numerous cult and ritual practices in the Armorican Massif and its margins.