Marble Figurines Cyclades

In the third millennium b c a distinctive civilization commonly called the early cycladic culture ca.

Marble figurines cyclades.

The cyclades are a chain of greek islands in the middle of the aegean sea. Cycladic marble figurines of abstract male and female forms have been found at burial sites. Art with a capital a has consequences for cycladic figurines. These figurines are small abstract and rely on geometric shapes and flat plans for their design and would have been painted.

The ancient cycladic culture flourished in the islands of the aegean sea from c. From a formal perspective the link between cycladic art and modern sculpture seems obvious. Figurines of this type from the cyclades islands in the aegean sea have been found almost exclusively in tombs. They were also accomplished sculptors in stone as attested by significant finds of marble figurines on saliagos near paros and antiparos.

The abstract simplicity highly stylized forms and balanced proportions of the many white marble figurines and vessels unearthed from the aegean islands clearly translate to well known examples of today s most famous sculptures. Other objects such as vessels tools weapons and jewellery made of marble clay metals and obsidian complete the group of the artefacts created in the 3rd millennium bc on the aegean islands. The marble seated harp player above was included in the met museum s masterpieces volumes in both 1993 and 2006 next to the likes of modigliani. 3300 to 1100 bce.

They encircle the island of delos. Sculptures in marble are the most characteristic products of the early cycladic civilization. He is the first male figurine to be added to the collection and so is vastly outnumbered by the female figurines surrounding him but he looks lovely and very much at visiting. Although it was first believed that these so called idols represent deities they probably should be interpreted more broadly as representations of femaleness the geometric shapes the position of the arms across the abdomen and the close set legs with dangling feet are.

Now considering this is an object from an archaeological site of unknown origin that is quite a remarkable achievement. Marble was abundant on the cyclades islands and excavators have found many statuettes like this one that range in size from a few inches to almost life size. Marble 1 6 high. 3200 2300 b c emerged with important settlement sites on keros and at halandriani on syros.

This figurine was found in a grave on the island. National archaeological museum athens. Cycladic art therefore comprises one of the three main branches of aegean art. Along with the minoan civilization and mycenaean greece the cycladic people are counted among the three major aegean cultures.

The cycladic gallery room 11 at the british museum now has a new addition an extremely rare marble figurine of the hunter warrior type. Figurine of a woman from syros cyclades greece ca.