Department of Antiquities
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Ashmolean Museum of Art and Archaeology |
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Presentations | |||
Ancient
Cyprus in the Ashmolean Museum |
Highlights of the Collection: Aphrodite, Female Figurines and Cyprus | |
Aphrodite, Female Figurines and Cyprus: The Chalcolithic Period (Copper Age) and Cruciform Figurines |
These little figures were often found buried with the dead and frequently took explicitly female forms. Some of the naked women represented by the pendants appear to be in birthing positions. They were also sometimes found in settlements, indicating that they may have been worn by the living as well. It is likely that these were either meant to represent a fertility goddess or act as a charm to encourage healthy childbirth. One of the most important Chalcolithic sites, Kissonerga-Mosphilia, is near Paphos and many of the figurines found there have recurring themes of childbirth, fertility and pregnancy. It appears as though early Cypriots were very concerned with matters of fertility and the production of healthy offspring. |
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Image: Fragment of stone female figurine, source unknown (AN1963.65) |
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