This statuette, probably a cult idol, dates to the Neolithic Era which saw the development of farming and human technology. It is extraordinarily well preserved and derives from the settlement at Vinca in modern Serbia. This flourishing culture was the largest known in Europe at that time, extending along the Danube into the Balkans and Central Europe. Thousands of clay statuettes have been discovered in the region's Vinca settlements suggestive of the intense magic-religious practices within the Vinca culture. This statuette is anthropomorphic, or human-shaped, and is presumed to have been used for ritual purposes. The use of red paint is typical of Vinca Neolithic figurines, and few have survived in such excellent condition.

Dark brown clay figure reminiscent of a person, with a pointed chin and nose and two semi-circles as eyes filling most of the face, with small lines like eyelashes around them. At the body, arms extend out to the sides, but end just after the shoulder. A shirt with a V-neck incised into the clay covers small breasts, defined hips, and a belly protruding over what could be a skirt completely covering legs and feet.

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Vinca Idol

Serbia, Vinça culture, Neolithic Era

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