Ancient Anatolian Stone Idol w/ Greek Script

Ancient Near East, Asia Minor, modern-day Turkey, Anatolia, Early Bronze Age, ca. 3000 to 2500 BCE. An intriguing stone figure of anthropomorphic form presenting the characteristic abstract minimalism of an Anatolian idol – a rectangular body with sharp shoulders and a circular head – yet inscribed with ancient Greek script. Stone votive idols like this one are known in a variety of fascinating forms throughout the pre-literate ancient world. From the truly abstract Kilia-type figures that are barely recognizable as human to the exaggerated feminine shapes of so-called “Venus” figures, people in the past, as today, had a clear desire to portray human forms and did not feel constrained by naturalism. There are some repeated motifs: emphasized arms, as on this figure, which researchers have interpreted to mean an act of supplication; similarly, the wide eyes on this figure are an often-repeated characteristic that researchers believe means that the figure is attentive to the gods. Miniature figures like these seem to be portraying worshippers rather than gods, and we believe that they were small enough that ordinary people could have owned them and kept them on home altars. Many people from ancient Anatolia are found buried with items like this one.