Noi figurine antropomorfe recent descoperite în aşezarea gumelniţeană de tip tell de la Vitănești „Măgurice”

Abstract

his article has as main goal the study of three special artefacts, relatively recently discovered at Vităneşti ‚Măgurice’ tell settlement: three anthropomorphic figurines, one made of burnt clay and the other two of bone. They are remarkable finds within the art representation from this site and in the wider context of Gumelnița culture and the Neo-Eneolithic from the north Danube. Certain particularities make them very special finds, different from the majority of anthropomorphic representations. The burnt clay piece is the upper part of a ‚Thinker’ type figurine. The eyes, crafted in a unique way, by small pieces of shell, and the fabric type, clay tempered with a large amount of fibrous material of vegetal origin, are the particular features of this figurine. The second piece, a flat bone type figurine, is characterised by the carefulness, finesse and precision of the manufacturing technique, as well as the specific copper corrosion patterns on the ankles, a prove that it was adorned with a series of metallic ornaments (bracelets), unfortunately not preserved. The third find, a prismatic shaped bone figurine, is highlighted by an extremely rare ornamental element, a copper link like a belt placed around the torso. Considering the exceptional character and rarity of the three anthropomorphic figurines, the authors take the opportunity for a broader discussion in the context of this category of finds from Vitănești and Gumelnița culture area. The analysed pieces belong with a series of rare and special anthropomorphic representations, not only concerning the morphology and decoration, but also in terms of meaning.

Keywords

• anthropomorphic figurines
• eneolithic
• gumelnița
• copper