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Museums: Deva - RO


Artefact's name: The statue from Orastie
Object type: Human figurine
Chronology: 7.000 - 3.500 bc
Museum of: The Deva Museum of Dacian and Roman Civilisation
Period: Early Eneolithic
The statue was discovered in the aeneolithic settlement from Oraștie, Dealul Pemilor, X2. The settlement is placed on a high terrace of Mureș river. The Turdaș culture is formed in the middle and partly in the lower basin of the Mureș River, in contact with the Lumea Nouă assemblage, and it evolves – as far as it is known – along three phases. This, too, is characteristic of the early Aeneolithic and it appears at the end of phase B2 of the Vinèa culture. The pottery of the Turdaș culture is characterized by the use of incised stripes, filled with points, of twining channels, but also of painting. The latter element seems to have been taken from the late Starèevo-Criș communities. The spiritual life of this culture is extremely rich, being materialized in beautiful idols, as well as in worship sites. Pictographic signs of the Turdaș culture have also been brought into discussion, such as those from the eponymous site or from Nandru, as well as other possible proofs of the Turdaș culture’s links to the Aegean and Near Eastern worlds-the incised shape of a ship on the bottom of a clay pot, temple models of the ziggurat type, impressions of Mesopotamian cylinder-seals.




WHERE IS IT AND MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
Department: Archaeology department
Inventory number: 39149
Artefact's name: The statue from Orastie
Material: Clay
Method of manufacture: Burned
Decoration type: Incision
Distinctive mark:

STATE
Preservation: Very good
Restauration: No restored
Completeness: Almost Complete


DIMENSIONS
Length (mm): 119
Heigth (mm):
Diameter (mm):
Width (mm): 61
Thickness (mm):
Weight (g):


PERIOD OF USE
Epoque: Eneolithic
Culture: Turdaș
Period: Early Eneolithic
Phase:
Absolute chronology:



DISCOVERY
Date:
Country: Romania
District: Hunedoara
Town hall affiliation: Orăștie
Village:
Discovery findspot: Dealul Pemilor x2
Condition of discovery: Archaeological excavation
Discovery type: Dwelling


DEEPENINGS
Morphology of the object:
The statue belongs to dwelling L3 /1992-1993, from upper level. Was discovered wit other statues in a cult area. Statue of fine clay, carefully chosen, good burning, the colour varying from brick-red to yellow and grey. Feminine elements are missing (breasts, steatopigy) the clothes suggesting a masculine character.
Decoration:
The clothes: -there is a belt (made by three deep incisions), - a sex helmet (rendered by 6 deep incisions), tied to the belt under the buttocks by a string (rendered by an incision) - 3 neclkaces of different size (incisions deeply crossed by equal intervals of short cuttings). These are present only on the chest, on the back being covered by the hair. The body is realistically rendered. The right foot has all the 5 fingers rendered, the buttocks are well rendered too, the hands held on the incised belt. The face is very well rendered (the nose, eyes and mouth). The character is presented in movement, with right leg and shoulder ahead.
Inscription:
Analogies:
Interpretation:
Bibliography:
S.A. Luca, Așezări neolitice pe Valea Mureșului, Habitatul turdășean de la Orăștie-Dealul Pemilor (x2), Alba Iulia 1997, p. 65.


ANALYSES AND DETERMINATIONS
Type:
Laboratory:
No./Code:


FILLED IN BY
Name:
Institution: Dacian and Roman Civilization Museum
Date:



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