Ain Sakhri figurine: Difference between revisions
→Discovery: Epipaleolithic |
Not convinced it is a proper noun, but that link does not work, and that one is repeated. Details about purchase. And link articles for René Neuville in Fench and German. Tag: references removed |
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==Discovery== |
==Discovery== |
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The sculpture was identified in 1933 by |
The sculpture was identified in 1933 by {{ill|René Neuville|fr||de|}}, a French [[Consulate#Consulates and embassies|consul]] in [[Jerusalem]]<ref>Neuville represented the French Republic as vice-consul at Jerusalem from 1928 to 1937 and as consul-general from 1946 to 1952; see [https://books.google.com/books?id=easK2KFwWssC&lpg=PA301&ots=FUqickvmd0&dq=Ren%C3%A9%20Neuville&pg=PA301#v=onepage&q=Ren%C3%A9%20Neuville&f=false footnote on page 301 of ''Les Mandats Francais Et Anglais Dans Une Perspective'' (in French)]; he is known for his work with [[Skhul and Qafzeh hominids]] in the [[Lavant]].</ref> and prehistorian, when looking through random finds obtained by the French Fathers at [[Bethlehem]]. He found the stone whilst visiting a small museum with [[Henri Breuil|Abbé Breuil]].<ref name=trans/> Neuville immediately identified it as important and was able to get an introduction to the [[Bedouin]] who had made the finds at Wadi Khareitoun. He was led to a location within the [[Ain Sakhri]] caves and it is from these caves that the sculpture gets its name. Excavations of the caves revealed that the cave had been used domestically thousands of years ago and the finds were [[Natufian]]. For this reason it is thought that the figurine was used domestically and had not been left there as part of a funeral.<ref name=bm/> |
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The person who made the sculpture came from the [[Natufians]], an early [[Epipaleolithic]] culture whose members are thought to be the first humans to gather grass seeds that remained attached to their stems.<ref name=ahotw/> This is an important step in agriculture as it eventually allowed farmers to choose which seeds to eat and which to keep to sow the following season.<ref name=trans/> These people hunted gazelle and are the first known to domesticate dogs,<ref name="Clutton-Brock1995">{{Citation |title=The domestic dog: its evolution, behaviour and interactions with people |last=Clutton-Brock |first=Juliet |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor=Serpell, James |year=1995 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-41529-2 |pages= |chapter=Origins of the dog: domestication and early history }}</ref> sheep, and goats which also involves [[selective breeding]]. It has been speculated that the stability of having a managed food programme allowed the Natufians to create large communities of two to three hundred people and to create [[art]].<ref name=trans>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00q2p68 A History of the World in 100 objects - Part 7], BBC Radio 4, 26 January 2010, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/about/transcripts/episode7/ transcript], accessed 23 July 2010</ref> |
The person who made the sculpture came from the [[Natufians]], an early [[Epipaleolithic]] culture whose members are thought to be the first humans to gather grass seeds that remained attached to their stems.<ref name=ahotw/> This is an important step in agriculture as it eventually allowed farmers to choose which seeds to eat and which to keep to sow the following season.<ref name=trans/> These people hunted gazelle and are the first known to domesticate dogs,<ref name="Clutton-Brock1995">{{Citation |title=The domestic dog: its evolution, behaviour and interactions with people |last=Clutton-Brock |first=Juliet |authorlink= |coauthors= |editor=Serpell, James |year=1995 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |location=Cambridge |isbn=0-521-41529-2 |pages= |chapter=Origins of the dog: domestication and early history }}</ref> sheep, and goats which also involves [[selective breeding]]. It has been speculated that the stability of having a managed food programme allowed the Natufians to create large communities of two to three hundred people and to create [[art]].<ref name=trans>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b00q2p68 A History of the World in 100 objects - Part 7], BBC Radio 4, 26 January 2010, [http://www.bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld/about/transcripts/episode7/ transcript], accessed 23 July 2010</ref> |
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==Appearance== |
==Appearance== |
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The sculpture was made by carving a single "[[calcite]] cobble" which was picked away with a stone point to identify the position of the couple.<ref name=bm>[https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/p/phallic_figurine.aspx Ain Sakhri lovers figurine], British Museum, accessed July 2010</ref> Although it lacks details, such as faces, it is considered to be a clever piece of sculpture. Artist [[Marc Quinn]] has noted that the figure looks different depending on the viewer's perspective, and may resemble a couple, a penis, breasts, or a vagina depending on this perspective,<ref name= |
The sculpture was made by carving a single "[[calcite]] cobble" which was picked away with a stone point to identify the position of the couple.<ref name=bm>[https://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/highlights/highlight_objects/pe_prb/p/phallic_figurine.aspx Ain Sakhri lovers figurine], British Museum, accessed July 2010{{deadlink}}</ref> Although it lacks details, such as faces, it is considered to be a clever piece of sculpture. Artist [[Marc Quinn]] has noted that the figure looks different depending on the viewer's perspective, and may resemble a couple, a penis, breasts, or a vagina depending on this perspective,<ref name=ahotw/> or two testicles when viewed upside-down, from the bottom. Quinn compared it to a modern pornographic film where the action may include close-ups and long shots. It is clear that the figures in the couple are facing each other, but the gender of the figures can only be presumed.<ref name=bmdb/> |
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==Importance and purchase== |
==Importance and purchase== |
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After the death of René Neuville in 1952, it was purchased by the [[British Museum]] at Sotheby's in 1958 from M. Y. Neuville.<ref name=bmdb>[https://www.britishmuseum.org/research/search_the_collection_database/search_object_details.aspx?objectid=1358965&partid=1 figurine], British Museum, accessed July 2010</ref> |
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The object formed the basis of an episode of ''[[A History of the World in 100 Objects]]'', a BBC radio programme in January 2010 about the dawn of agriculture.<ref name=trans/> |
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==See also== |
==See also== |
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Revision as of 22:35, 28 April 2018
| Ain Sakhri Lovers figurine | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Material | stone (calcite cobble) |
| Size | 102 mm high |
| Created | 9000 BCE |
| Discovered | in Ain Sakhri caves, Wadi Khareitoun near Bethlehem |
| Present location | British Museum, London |
| Identification | 1958,1007.1 |
The Ain Sakhri Lovers figurine is a sculpture that was found in one of the Ain Sakhri caves near Bethlehem.[1] The sculpture is considered to be 11,000 years old and to be the oldest known representation of two people engaged in sexual intercourse.[2]
Discovery
The sculpture was identified in 1933 by René Neuville, a French consul in Jerusalem[3] and prehistorian, when looking through random finds obtained by the French Fathers at Bethlehem. He found the stone whilst visiting a small museum with Abbé Breuil.[4] Neuville immediately identified it as important and was able to get an introduction to the Bedouin who had made the finds at Wadi Khareitoun. He was led to a location within the Ain Sakhri caves and it is from these caves that the sculpture gets its name. Excavations of the caves revealed that the cave had been used domestically thousands of years ago and the finds were Natufian. For this reason it is thought that the figurine was used domestically and had not been left there as part of a funeral.[1]
The person who made the sculpture came from the Natufians, an early Epipaleolithic culture whose members are thought to be the first humans to gather grass seeds that remained attached to their stems.[2] This is an important step in agriculture as it eventually allowed farmers to choose which seeds to eat and which to keep to sow the following season.[4] These people hunted gazelle and are the first known to domesticate dogs,[5] sheep, and goats which also involves selective breeding. It has been speculated that the stability of having a managed food programme allowed the Natufians to create large communities of two to three hundred people and to create art.[4]
Appearance
The sculpture was made by carving a single "calcite cobble" which was picked away with a stone point to identify the position of the couple.[1] Although it lacks details, such as faces, it is considered to be a clever piece of sculpture. Artist Marc Quinn has noted that the figure looks different depending on the viewer's perspective, and may resemble a couple, a penis, breasts, or a vagina depending on this perspective,[2] or two testicles when viewed upside-down, from the bottom. Quinn compared it to a modern pornographic film where the action may include close-ups and long shots. It is clear that the figures in the couple are facing each other, but the gender of the figures can only be presumed.[6]
Importance and purchase
After the death of René Neuville in 1952, it was purchased by the British Museum at Sotheby's in 1958 from M. Y. Neuville.[6]
The object formed the basis of an episode of A History of the World in 100 Objects, a BBC radio programme in January 2010 about the dawn of agriculture.[4]
See also
References
- ^ a b c Ain Sakhri lovers figurine, British Museum, accessed July 2010[dead link]
- ^ a b c A History of the World -7, BBC.co.uk, accessed July 2010
- ^ Neuville represented the French Republic as vice-consul at Jerusalem from 1928 to 1937 and as consul-general from 1946 to 1952; see footnote on page 301 of Les Mandats Francais Et Anglais Dans Une Perspective (in French); he is known for his work with Skhul and Qafzeh hominids in the Lavant.
- ^ a b c d A History of the World in 100 objects - Part 7, BBC Radio 4, 26 January 2010, transcript, accessed 23 July 2010
- ^ Clutton-Brock, Juliet (1995), "Origins of the dog: domestication and early history", in Serpell, James (ed.), The domestic dog: its evolution, behaviour and interactions with people, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-41529-2
{{citation}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help) - ^ a b figurine, British Museum, accessed July 2010
Bibliography
- B. Boyd and J. Cook, 'A reconsideration of the "Ain Sakhri" figurine', Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 59 (1993), pp. 399–405
