Fragmentary Neolithic seated figurine

6th–5th millennium B.C.

Medium

Terracotta

Dimensions

7.4 × 4.6 cm

Status

In Museum Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-235351

One of the oldest objects in the Getty Museum's collection, this seated male figure is one of many examples produced in northern Greece in the Neolithic Age. Although the head and lower legs are missing, the figure still displays the long neck and heavy thighs and buttocks typical of both male and female statuettes of this period. The tubular neck extends from a squat torso with a navel, and a clearly visible phallus indicates male gender. Formed by incised lines, the remains of a hand with fingers rests atop the right thigh.Very little is known about the meaning and function of Neolithic figures. They are frequently depicted squatting or seated with very schematic facial features. Incised or painted designs on some figurines may represent clothing, jewelry, or body parts. Whether male or female, the rendering of the body often accentuates the reproductive organs, and the exaggerated proportions of the hips and belly have been interpreted as fertility symbols. Similar types of figurines have been discovered in habitations, burials, and religious settings, and it is likely that such objects served more than one purpose. When buried beneath the floors of dwellings, they may have ser…