Central Europe, Balkan region, Neolithic Period, Vinca culture, ca. 5700 to 4500 BCE. An exceptionally rare hand-built clay idol of light brown hues with nice areas of burnishing representing a dramatic visage - roughly spade-shaped, with large incised eyes flanking either side of a prominent pointed nose and a raised nasal ridge. Several incised striations detail the face vertically above the eyes and horizontally below, with a gently curved verso exhibiting several small piercings perhaps from which a small textile costume would be suspended. A pointed chin and perforated ears complete the abstract anthropomorphic countenance, with a jagged neck line suggesting this was once part of a larger idol figure. Size: 2.01" L x 2.30" W x 2.33" H (5.1 cm x 5.8 cm x 5.9 cm); 3.19" H (8.1 cm) on included custom stand.

The Vinca (also called Turdas or Turdas-Vinca) culture included Neolithic peoples of Southeastern and Central Europe who existed from roughly 5700 to 4500 BCE. This culture's name derives from its archaeological site, known as "Vinca-Belo Brdo," which was a very large Tell settlement that Serbian archaeologist Miloje Vasic discovered in 1908. Due to its prowess in agricultural technology, the Vinca population grew significantly and produced some of the largest settlements of prehistoric Europe. Although these settlements were distinguished by unusually strong cultural uniformity due to a long-distance exchange of ritual articles, scholars do not believe that they were politically unified. One signature of the Vinca culture is the wide variety of anthropomorphic and zoomorphic sculptural creations, including this example, created by its talented artisans.

Provenance: ex-Royal Athena Galleries, New York City, New York, USA, acquired from L. Velkovich collection, Toronto, Canada, 1994; ex-Marko Milenkovic collection, Belgrade, Serbia, then Vienna, Austria, from the 1950s - 1970s

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#184695

Small chips under the neck and along peripheries, with minor softening to scattered finer details, otherwise in excellent condition. Nice surface smoothness across obverse.