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Anatolian Little Women
..(From 7000 to 2000 BC)
*You can click these thumbnails to see a bigger picture
*To see the origin and the date of idols take the mouse over the
thumbnails
[1]Gritille - 7000 BC [2]Catalhöyük - 6000 BC [3]Hacilar - 5500 BC
[4]Canhasan - 4500 BC [5]Lake District - 4500 BC [6]Izmir - 4000 BC
[7]Ilipinar - 5500-4500 BC [8]Ilipinar 5500-4500 BC [9]Kurucay -
4500-4000 BC 
[10]Afyon - 4000-3000 BC [11]Afyon 4000-3000 BC [12]Afyon - 3000-2500
BC [13]Horoztepe - 3000 BC [14]Ikiztepe - 2700-2500 BC [15]Ikiztepe -
2450-2000 BC [16]Ikiztepe - 2500 BC [17]Ikiztepe - 2200 BC 
[18]Ilazig - 2500 BC [19]Beycesultan - 3000 BC 
[20]Kusura - 2700 BC [21]Kultepe - 2200 BC 
[22]Etiyokusu - 2500 BC [23]Alacahoyuk - 2500 BC [24]Demircihoyuk -
2500 BC [25]Demircihoyuk - 2500 BC [26]Caykenari - 2500 BC
[27]Caykenari - 2500 BC [28]Ahlatlibel - 2500 BC [29]Troia - 1500 BC 

By Şengül Aydıngün...

[30]<<< Back to the First Page <<<

CHALCOLITHIC FIGURINES (5500-3000) 

The most advanced culture of the Chalcolithic period in Turkey is
represented by levels I-V at the Hacılar settlement mound near Burdur.
Chalcolithic levels have also been excavated at Kuruçay Höyük and
Höyücek Höyük in the same area. In addition figurines made of diverse
materials found in Chalcolithic levels in the settlement mounds of Can
Hasan and Seyitömer in Karaman province, and in Tülintepe settlement
mound near Elazığ have been published at various times.

Chalcolithic period figurines display a decline in attention to detail
compared to the earlier Neolithic figurines. This tendency can be
traced back to the late Neolithic period, indicating a distinct shift
away from endeavours to achieve realistic plastic representation and
towards a schematic approach. The terracotta and stone figurines found
at the Hacılar, Can Hasan, Kuruçay and Tülintepe mounds best reflect
this increasing stylisation. Particularly the marble and stone
figurines of the Middle Chalcolithic are more abstract, losing their
plastic character to become schematised. The endeavour to create
flatter figures is a notable feature of this period, details being
indicated by incised marks and lines. In this way, as in all plastic
figurines, the artist aimed for a unified visual effect. The idea of
reducing the human form to a simplified image seems to be a more
sophisticated concept, reflecting progress in art.

An important group of marble figurines dating from the Chalcolithic
period found in Turkey are known as Kiliya type idols or figures,
since the first example was discovered in the village of Kiliya on the
Gelibolu peninsula. While the heads of these figures are fully plastic
in form, the bodies are flat, clearly illustrating the transitional
stage between the fully plastic and the schematic. They are the
forerunners of Bronze Age idols found in the Cyclades in the Aegean.

Kiliya type figurines are the finest examples of the increasing
stylisation of form in Anatolian figurines which characterised the
Chalcolithic period and became even more pronounced in the Early
Bronze Age. Increasingly the modellers of figurines avoided detail in
preference for extremely cryptic vehicles of expression.

The increasingly abstract human figures which were widespread in
Anatolia for around one thousand years between 3000 BC and 2000 BC are
referred to as idols.

STONE IDOLS IN THE 3RD MILLENIUM BC
In the 3rd millenium BC when Early Bronze Age culture began to
dominate Anatolia, the contours of stone figurines in particular took
on the character of schematic idols.

The tradition of making figurines which dated from the beginning of
the Neolithic period was characterised at first by fully plastic,
naturalistic works of art. Later on these gradually lost their plastic
qualities, and by the end of the Chalcolithic period had become
flattened schematic figures, in which shoulders, waist and hips are
represented sketchily as curves in the contour.

Idols made in the 3rd millennium BC took this tendency to the point
where the neck and head were distinctly unnatural in form.

Most of the Anatolian idols from this period have been found in
northwest and southwest Turkey. Marble idols have been found at sites
where scientific excavations have been carried out, such as Troia in
the northwest, Aphrodisias in the west, Kusura and Beycesultan in the
southwest, and Karataş-Semayük in the south, but also in many
settlement mounds and sites in the course of illegal excavations. In
addition marble idols have been found at Titriş Höyük in southeast
Anatolia.

Hundreds of marble idols uncovered mainly by illegal excavations are
now in museums and private collections around the world.

I. Beycesultan Type Marble Idols
This type is characterised by long narrow stalk heads, arms indicated
only by small triangular projections from the shoulders, and sack like
bodies. Also known as 'violin form' figures, the finest examples of
these idols were found in Beycesultan Höyük near the town of Çivril in
the province of Denizli. Almost all these violin shaped, stalk headed
idols belong to the Early Bronze Age I, and do not occur at all after
the Early Bronze Age II.

II. Kusura Type Marble Idols
The Kusura type idol is characterised by a disc shaped head, long
neck, and a shovel shaped rectangular body whose lower part is curved.
These idols are very thin and flat.

Marble idols of this type have been found in the village of Kusura in
Sandıklı in the province of Afyon, and in the Karataş-Semayük cemetery
near Elmalı in Antalya, and date from the Early Bronze Age II
(2750-2300 BC). Hundreds of examples are to be seen in museums and
private collections in Turkey and around the world. Although most of
the Kusura idols have disc shaped heads, others exist with triangular,
square or rectangular heads, again with long necks and shovel shaped
bodies. Two of these idols in Burdur Museum have a phallic appearance,
with no separation between head and neck.

III. Marble Idols Which Developed from the Beycesultan and Kusura
Types
The Beycesultan type idols, with no heads, long necks, shoulder
projections for arms and sack shaped bodies, which were widespread in
Anatolia during the Early Bronze Age I, were succeeded in the Early
Bronze Age II by the Kusura type characterised by more clearly defined
heads which could be circular, square, rectangular or triangular. The
bodies were always shovel shaped, without any indication of arms.

One group of marble idols discovered at various sites in Anatolia
combines characteristics of both the Beycesultan and Kusura types.
They have the projecting arms and sack bodies of the Beycesultan
figures and the disc shaped heads of the Kusura type idols.

Among these are some of particular interest characterised by
projections from one side of the head which is perhaps meant to
represent hair.

IV Troia Type Marble Idols
The first group of idols discovered in scientific excavations in
Anatolia are from Troia. Found by Schliemann, most of these marble
idols have V-shaped incisions on the forehead to mark the eyebrows,
dots for eyes, and one or more horizontal lines scored into the
surface to indicate the neck. Idols of this type are described as 'owl
faced', and form the best known category of the Troia type idols.
There is a striking resemblance to the 'owl face' designs found on
terracotta vases in Troia. Owl faced idols have also been found so far
at Yortan, Seyitömer, and settlement mounds near Afyon.

Marble idols other than the owl faced type have clearly defined heads,
necks and bodies, but lack any facial features.

The Troia idols progressed from very simple oval or trapezoidal forms,
to long necked idols.

These idols have not been found in large quantities, and must have
been used as amulets by the Trojans. The fact that Troia type idols
have also been found at other sites in Anatolia and in the Cyclades is
significant as demonstrating that Troia was in contact with other
cultures of the region in the 3rd millennium BC.

V. Titriş Type Marble Idols
What is known as the Titriş type idol is characterised by a round
head, short neck, long arms projecting at right angles from the
shoulders, and a sack shaped body with a narrow waist. The eyes are
indicated by dots.

Until recently the origin of this type of idol, which is to be found
in the collections of many countries, was not known for certain.
However, during rescue excavations of Titriş Höyük carried out by
Şanlıurfa Museum in 1981-1982, 52 of these idols, mostly undamaged,
were uncovered.

Algaze, who has conducted excavations at Titriş Höyük in recent years,
also came across several marble idols. Burial goods found on the same
site enable us to date Titriş type marble idols to Early Bronze Age
III. Idols very similar to the Titriş type have also been found in
Cyprus.

These idols, with their small round heads, short necks and sack like
bodies, are similar in character to gold idols dating from 2000 BC
found at Alacahöyük and metal idols found at İkiztepe.

VI. Kültepe Type Marble Idols
The group known as Kültepe type idols was first brought to the
attention of the academic world by Hermann, who described these disc
shaped idols as the 'Cappadocia type'. Interest in the idols from
Kültepe has increased sharply since the beginning of the century, and
many examples are to be found in private collections and museums
abroad.

The Kültepe type marble idols generally have circular bodies, long
necks and triangular heads. Some have more than one head and neck on a
single body. In most cases the bodies are decorated with incised and
relief designs, and features on the heads such as eyebrows, eyes, nose
and ears are defined. In one example the eyelashes are represented by
lines, and in several cases female sexual organs are incised.

The earliest of the Kültepe type idols date from the Early Bronze Age
II, and it is assumed that the Early Bronze Age III idols found at
Kültepe developed from those of Phase II. Early Bronze Age III idols
have large circular bodies and one to four heads. It has been pointed
out that the larger the body, the longer the neck. Usually the bodies
are decorated with relief motifs in the form of naturalistic human
figures, a small motif resembling the idol itself, and lions. There
are also circles and parallel or zigzag lines. Kültepe idols dating
from the Early Bronze Age III show the hair plaited at the back of the
head, but apart from this there are no other markings on the back of
the figure. Those idols representing female figures are unmistakable.
In some cases the sexual organs are depicted in detail and there is a
second small idol figure or relief human figure on the body. These
idols seem to represent pregnant women and are reminiscent of the
Neolithic figurines of women giving birth found at Çatal Höyük.

IDOLS MADE OF MATERIALS OTHER THAN STONE 

Most of the idols made in Anatolia in the 3rd century BC are made of
marble. Among those made of other materials, those made of terracotta
are the most common, followed by lesser quantities of metal, bone,
wood and similar materials. Terracotta idols dating from the 3rd
century BC generally represent standing figures, and the eyebrows,
eyes, nose and mouth are defined. Most of the figures are female, and
particularly those found at such sites as Demirci Höyük, Sarıket
cemetery, Etiyokuşu, İkiztepe, Karayavşan and Ahlatlıbel have
exaggerated depictions of the female sexual organ. The breasts are
also indicated.

Some terracotta idols show the ribs, and some have ornamentation
indicating clothing.

Idols made of bronze and precious metals begin to appear towards the
end of the 3rd millenium, and have been found at sites like Hasanoğlu,
Alacahöyük, İkiztepe, Kültepe and Troia.

References

1. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Gritil%2002.jpg
2. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Catal-13.jpg
3. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500%2038.jpg
4. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Canhas-11.jpg
5. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Ist%2009.jpg
6. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Iz%2007.jpg
7. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Iznik%2004.jpg
8. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Iznik%2005.jpg
9. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Kurucay%2001.jpg
10. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/AF%2009.jpg
11. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/AF%2012.jpg
12. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/AF%2005.jpg
13. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Horoztepe%2001.jpg
14. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Sa%20grup%2006.jpg
15. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Sa%20grup%2005.jpg
16. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Sa%2001.jpg
17. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Sa%2004.jpg
18. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/El%2002.jpg
19. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500%20107.jpg
20. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500%20110.jpg
21. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500%20118.jpg
22. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500%2086.jpg
23. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Alacah%F6y%FCk%2001.jpg
24. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Demircih%F6y%FCk%2001.jpg
25. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Demircih%F6y%FCk%2005.jpg
26. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Ist%2027.jpg
27. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Ist%2025.jpg
28. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500%2084.jpg
29. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol/500/Ck%2002.jpg
30. http://www.aydingun.com/S/idol.htm