153
152
36
aBStract ScHeMatic
figure
Kusura type
Western
Anatolia
Chalcolithic-Early
Bronze Age
(3300–3000 BC)
Marble or calcite, H. 20 cm, W. 14 cm
Private Collection, Germany
This dynamic abstract composition,
carved
from a thin translucent
plaque, is constructed with a disc and
two rectangles – one vertical, one
horizontal – finely proportioned to
each other, in a simplified vision of a
head, neck and body. Both sides are
plain, but a small circle incised off
centre on one side of the body may
be a mark added in the course of the
“life” of the figure before deposition.
C.A.
Reference:
Thimme 1977, no. 488.
37
aBStract ScHeMatic figure
Kusura Beycesultan type
Western Anatolia
Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age
(3300–3000 BC)
Marble or calcite, H. 11 cm, W. 7.2 cm
Private Collection, Germany
The composition assembles simple
geometric shapes, disk and half disc
divided by a cone constructed with an
attention to rhythm and proportions.
It is subtly animated and brought
to life by the diminutive arms that
conclude the semi-lunar body, and
the suggestions of hair or horn on
one side of the disk head breaks the
symmetry.
C.A.
Reference:
Thimme 1977, no. 513.
38
violin figure
Beycesultan type
Western Anatolia
Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age
(3300–3000 BC)
Marble, H. 16 cm, W. 7 cm
Ligabue Collection, Venice
Bibliography:
Ligabue, Rossi-Osmida
2006, p. 119.
A typical and harmonious example of
the Beycesultan type, characterized by
the long stalk neck and two shortened
horizontal arms. The “bag-shaped”
body is a feature shared with the
Kusura type. In all these examples,
the two sides
of the plaque figure are
identical, as opposed to other types
like, for instance, the Alaça Hüyük,
Troy or Kilia, which are oriented: they
have a back and a front side animated
by eyes, nose and mouth, possibly by
breasts and sex triangle. The question
of the orientation of the schematic
figures is important for a better
understanding of how they functioned
and were handled during their life.
C.A.
155
154
39
Kilia figure
Western Anatolia
Chalcolithic-Early Bronze Age
(3300–3000 BC)
Marble, H. 10.3 cm, W. 3.7 cm
Private Collection, UK
(courtesy RWAA)
Named from a site in the Gallipoli
peninsula, the Kilia figures (
cat. 39–41
)
were distributed over a large part
of western Anatolia during the third
millennium. Recent research at
Kulaksizlar brought to light the close
relation with the Cyclades in the
production of marble vessels and
anthropomorphic statuettes by highly
skilled and specialized artists. The
Kilia are the only Anatolian figures
of the Chalcolithic
Early Bronze Age
I to be distinctly anthropomorphic
and female, tending to an idealized
but realist vision, as opposed to the
abstract schematic aesthetic of the
Kusura or Beycesultan types. Like
these hematic figures however they
were found, often in fragments, in
both funerary context and in public
domain.
Kilia artists created slim figures with
sharp contrast between the flat body,
contoured in a lozenge, and the often
heavy,
three-dimensional head, tilted
backwards, hence the description
of “star gazer”. The joint feet are
protruding from the plane of the body
and are too small to allow the figure
to stand by itself. Like the Cyclades
figures, they were probably meant to
be reclining on their back. The arms
are typically reduced to a sort of
triangular wing, sharply cut away from
the torso. Within this general type,
there
are many subtle variants, the
work of individual artists who were
free to play with the proportions and
a number of small details, like the
length of the nose, the placement
of minute button-like ears and eyes;
in a few instances, realistic forearms
are depicted along the torso. These
figures present fragile parts, especially
the
high and thin neck, too thin for
the heavy head; and the tiny feet
projecting forward. These fragile parts
are very often found broken, whether
deliberately or not is unclear; the three
exquisite Kilia statuettes presented
here are all missing their feet.
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