The Weeping Lady of Gilat: the Iconography of Effect and Rites of Passage (original) (raw)
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Archaic Conceptions about Procreation – A Reinterpretation of the Chalcolithic Figurines from Gilat
Time and Mind , 2016
The symbolism of the two complementary figurines found at the Chalcolithic site of Gilat—a woman with a churn and a ram with cornets—is reconsidered. The male sexual symbolism of the ram, the seminal associations of the cornets, and their position on the animal’s back suggest that the ram figurine expresses the belief that semen, the vital element of paternal issue, originates in the spinal cord. With her emphasized genitals and the uterine symbolism of the churn, the woman figurine evokes the transformation of the semen into bones in the womb. Analysis of the red painting used in the figurines suggests that heat was considered the physical factor behind the production of semen and its ensuing transformation into bones. The analysis also underscores the importance of blood, the maternally transmitted vital fluid, for the formation of flesh in the embryo. These findings, echoed in other ancient cultures, attest to the earliest integrated representation of the phenomenon of procreation discovered so far. This representation, however, is perceptible only after the viewer is made aware of the hidden continuity in the ceramic wall between each figure (ram, woman) and its associated artifact (cornets, churn). It is concluded that, given that this esoteric information focuses on the mysteries of procreation, the two figurines may not necessarily represent deities.
Revue de l'Archéologie du Vêtement et du Costume Tome II (2021): 37-43., 2021
female figurines in early christian egypt: reconstructing lost practices and meanings (2015)
This paper addresses the great diversity of female figurines produced during the Christian period (iv–vii ce) in Egypt, from Aswan to Karanis to the Abu Mina pilgrimage city. While not documented in any texts, by their sheer number the figurines offer important evidence of local religious practices performed under the aegis of Christianity (e.g., at saints’ shrines) yet without any ostensible connection to Christian liturgy or mythology. Their usage seems to have been predominantly votive, signifying a desired procreative body to deposit in hope, while the diversity of figurines points to an autochthonous, rather than imported or imposed, ritual tradition. The paper, part of a larger project on the local sites of Christianization, uses these figurines and their forms to reconstruct the iconographic strategies of the workshop, the ritual procedures of the client or ritual subject (at shrine or tomb), and the nature of domestic altars as stages for images.
Dijk-Coombes, Renate M. van et al. (Hg.), From Stone Age to Stellenbosch. Studies on the Ancient Near East in Honour of Izak (Sakkie) Cornelius (ÄAT 107), 2021
Prof. Dr. Izak (Sakkie) Cornelius has devoted his ongoing scholarly career to the cultures of the ancient Near East (including North Africa and Western Asia) and he continues to make important contributions to our understanding of their religions and material images. We know Sakkie not only as a scholar, but also as a mentor, a colleague, and a friend who embodies the famous motto of Max Freiherr von Oppenheim: "Kopf hoch! Mut hoch! und Humor hoch!" It is our pleasure to dedicate this volume of studies on the ancient Near East to him as a token of our great appreciation of his scholarship, collegiality, and friendship. Our very best wishes accompany Sakkie, Magna, and their family, and we look forward to many more years of collaboration. As editors, it is our pleasant duty to thank colleagues who helped to make this Festschrift a reality. We wish to thank the authors for their contributions to the volume. We appreciate the fact that they worked hard, sometimes under very trying circumstances, to complete their articles. We also thank two other colleagues, Prof. Dr. Christo H. J. van der Merwe (Stellenbosch University) and Prof. Dr. Markus Witte (Humboldt Universität zu Berlin), for their support during the production of the volume. We owe a great debt of gratitude to Florian Lippke of the BIBLE+ORIENT Museum in Fribourg who organised the permission for us to use many images from the museum's databank. Merci vielmal, Florian! A special word of thanks goes to Dr. Kai Metzler of Zaphon and the editors of the Ägypten und Altes Testament series, Prof. Dr. Stefan Jakob Wimmer and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Zwickel, for accepting the volume as part of the series.
The social role of women in prehistoric Egypt: an analysis of female figurines and iconography, 2024
Female figurines from most periods of ancient Egyptian history occur in a variety of contexts. These images were often fashioned from clay, faience, ivory, stone, and wood. Of these, female figurines discovered in funerary contexts are highly interesting: Did they represent family members of the deceased, or was it a sort of ritual that entailed placing a feminine model with deceased males to serve them in the afterlife? In this paper, I will primarily analyze the social role of women in prehistoric Egypt. Additionally, I will also assess artistic renditions and the overall iconography of feminine figurines from that period. The following questions will help to unravel the aspects: Why were female figurines placed in tombs? What are the artistic features specific to female figurines? What can we learn from the positions in which female figurines were placed? This paper will study examples of female figurine their artistic and social styles and draw comparisons to understand their development. As for the Feminine iconography in this period, we will show the depiction of woman on the antiquities since the age of Badari, with a discussing of the development of the feminine iconography, until the early dynastic era. Through these depictions, we will be able to-functional and social role through the depicted scenes on pottery vessels, mace heads, and tombs. The presence of feminine figurines and iconography in this early stage of the development of ancient Egyptian culture is indicative of the prominent role women essayed in daily life - as mothers, wives, and servants- an aspect the deceased wished to carry forward into the next world.
In ethnology, the symbolic meaning of a woman is based on the relationship between her biological development, social status and the changing affiliations within a particular community. In Northern Eurasia there is a generally accepted concept of woman as a hearth-keeper, which is well documented. This role is not only defined by her care for the family and the home, but also by her attention to all sacred objects connected with the household. The creation and decoration of sacred objects is usually inspired by an overall desire to accentuate the specific human or animal-like qualities of the charms. The analysis of female figurines will be biased towards female-spirits, such as The Totemic Mother, The Protectress of the Family, and The Mother Nature, whose images and associated rituals are well documented.