Folia archeologica 27.
István Ecsedy: Két neolitikus idol Kelet-Magyarországról
Two NEOLITHIC IDOLS 51 ic identity with corn but mean the most important component of a positive magic act, directed to corn, resp. seed-corn. 5 9 We may consider it as a a well-based hypothesis, according to which anthropomorphous idols meant concrete persons for their makers. Most likely they had a role in different rites of magical character, i.e. they were applied in the course of magic, aimed to different purposes. The basis of the belief, according to which a representation of a human being could posses a real force, can be found in animistic beliefs widespread among nature peoples. Their common essence is that the spirit inhabiting the cult object (the spirit of an ancestor) would effectuate the magical act through his transcendental power. 6 0 József Csalog was, in our opinion, right in bringing the idol plastic art in connection with animistic beliefs, especially in the case of figurines, evidently masked. 6 1 Höckmann underlines the moments which point to the fact that Neolithic creators ascribed to idols an independent active force. (Maining, "binding" of idols, rain magic with the aid of idols). 6 2 As for supposed animistic beliefs, the occurrence of red paint on the idols is especially important. As Höckmann remarks, there may be connections between the red ochre paint of the statuettes and the ochre stains, found in graves. 0 3 Painting the idols red might have been an important moment of a rite, which invested the statuette with the transcendental power of the dead ancestor, performing thus the same life magic, which was practised on the occasion of burials. 6 4 In this case the paint applied to a statuette or other cult objects signified some peculiar "transfer of force". The procedures, applied in the course of burial rites and of "initiations" of cultic objects may be considered as essentially identical ones. 6 5 In our opinion the clay idols and other anthropomorphic representation played a very important role in different magical rites of the Neolithic Age, for the reasons that their makers meant to secure the assistance of the ghosts of the ancestors, personified by them. A person wearing a mask, shell bracelets or amulets or else other cult objects could also imbibe a transcendental force. That the "effectiveness" of the idols depended on their immediate presence, is proved by their great number and occurrence in houses. It can be also presumed that they were, after having been used, "neutralized" in a way, i.e. broken and buried; this would be the cause of the occurrence of their fragments in debris pits. 6 6 5 9 See note 50. The applied figurai decoration of the tankards of the Körös culture and the representations on storage vessels for seed-grain, Szakáihát type, are to be connected generally with this. c o báng, J., op. cit. 182-230., 366-402. With ethnological data. 0 1 Csalog, J., Arch. Ért. 84(1957) 207.; Csalog, J., Acta Arch.Hung. 11(1959) 26.; Cf. Vasié, M. M., Les masques sur les terres-cuites de Vinca. Glas.SAN 226. Odelvenje drustvenih nauka 6(1957) 1-6. For the connection of masks and animistic beliefs see: Láng, J., op. cit. 203-213. 6 2 Höckmann, О., Menschliche . . . 23-24. 6 3 Höckmann, О., Idolplastik ... 17. For the ochre painting see: Duma, Gy.-Ecsedy, I., MAI 4(1973)129-133. (With further literature.) 6 5 Cf. Láng, J., op. cit. 393, 400. (With further literature.) r, c Höckmann , О., Menschliche . . . 23., note 124.
