Welcome to the Greek Bronze Age
1.7 Study of the Cycladic figurines
Left: Cycladic ‘idol’, EC II. National Archaeological Museum, Athens, no. 4722, from grave 14 of the Dokathismata cemetery on the island of Amorgos.
Centre: Cycladic ‘idol’, EC II. Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens, cat. 206, canonical type, Dokathismata variety, attributed to the ‘Ashmolean Museum Master’.
Right: Cycladic ‘idol’, EC II. Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens, cat. 206, canonical type, Spedos variety.
Food for thought
‘Excessively coarse and ugly alabaster figure[s]’ (Th. Burgon, 1809);
‘An unbelievably pure sense of style, of unity of form’ (H. Moore, 1981).
Which statement do you prefer? Why?
Cycladic figurines
Group activity: Questions about Cycladic figurines/‘Idols’
Examine this photograph of a canonical Cycladic figurine (Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens, cat. 283). On the Evidence and Cycladic culture forum, make postings asking specific questions that you might have about this figure. Restrict yourself to one question per post and to asking questions, not giving information.
