A Móra Ferenc Múzeum Évkönyve, 1978/79-1. (Szeged, 1980)

Hegedűs, Katalin: Two New Enthroned Idols from Szegvár-Tűzköves

The third fragment is a solid leg and foot bent at the knee with a broken surface at the top of the thigh which connects neatly with the corner of the throne panel. The ankle is represented by an applied little lump of clay, while the calf is suggested by another slight clay appliqué. A fresh breakage is visible along nearly the entire instep region of the foot, from which it is assumed that the feet were attached. The statue is made of finely blended, sand-tempered clay fired to a terracotta colour on the exterior surfaces of the torso and the throne, while the interior and broken surfaces are homogeneous black. After modelling, all surfaces were coated with a thick slip in order to obscure the joints. The finishing touches on the back of the torso are evidenced by parallel striations made by a smoother, probably bone. The lower arm, the interior bend of the elbow, the foot and the back of the knee exhibit faded traces of red crusted painting. Since the extremities were coated with a hematite slip it is suggested that the remainder of the statue was originally likewise painted.

9 Although the fragmented condition of this find is a disadvantage from the viewpoint of the public, like every cloud this too has a silver lining; in that the manner of manufacture, visible only from the interior, comes to light. In addition, the above idol stands as a caution to future Neolithic researchers against abstract and overly complex reasons (i. e. magical and religious) for the fragmentary condition of larger, hollow statues, though it cannot be excluded that in some cases religious rites may be called upon as explanations.

10 It must also be considered that breakages often occur at weak points created by the manufacturing technique. Therefore it remains the task of the archaeologist to observe the minutae of the context in order to try to determine the cause of these fractures. Method of manufacture The realization as well as the size (estimated on the basis of the extant fragments to be 26 cm) extraordinarily resemble the well known „sickle-god" from the same site.

11 It is the opinion of this author that the barrel shaped trunks of both statues were formed by pressing the clay into a leather pad which was previously prepared for easy removal. This is indicated by the finger prints evident on the interior of the torso. The trunk portion was subsequently closed by a thin clay layer, after which the throne panels were modelled. The panels were then applied to the posterior by adding another wet clay layer. Holes were perforated into the bottom anterior as well as the neck (Fig. 1.) using either a cylindrical tool or simply the finger. At these junctures were oined the solid head and the legs ending in pegs. The arms were separately modelled and thereafter attached to the body, resulting in indentations between the neck and the shoulders. 9 Csalog J., Acta Arch Hung XI (1959) 28: „Die Oberfläche der Schenkel war von deren Mitte gegen die Knie mit roter Ockerfarbe bemalt."-wirtes Csalog about the crusted paint of the legs of the No. I. idol which is the closest analogy of the herein described new find. 10 Höckmann, О., Idolplastik der Teiss und der Bükk Kultur. JRGZ 13,1966 (1968) 8. 11 Primary source: Csalog, J., Acta Arch Hung XL (1959) 24—29. Fig. 7—10. See also Makkay, J., Early Near Eastern and South East European Gods Acta Arch Hung XVI. (1964) and Makkay, J., A szegvár tűzkövesi újkőkori férfiszobor és a föld és ég elválasztásának ősi mitosza. Arch Ért (1978) 2.164—183. — The name „sickle-god" was given to the statueby Kalicz, N.. Agyagistenek, a neolitikum és a rézkor emlékei Magyarországon. Hereditas, Corvina Press. 1970. Budapest. 291