At First Glance Ordinary, but Actually Special!

The flat bone Chalcolithic figurines, referred to in academic literature as “flat bone idols”, crafted in the shape of the female body, are often discovered during excavations of Chalcolithic settlements or graves. Though schematic in appearance, they preserve valuable information about ancient rules, techniques, and hidden knowledge.
These objects reveal the remarkable skill of Chalcolithic craftsmen in shaping, engraving, drilling, and polishing hard and difficult-to-work animal bone. In some cases, copper rings attached to the circular openings on both sides of the figurines’ heads have also been preserved.
The production of these items followed established standards. There were shared rules defining how the figurine should look and which techniques should be used. That is why findings from different regions of the country share a similar appearance - masters and apprentices followed a unified model.
How exactly these bone figurines were used remains a mystery. Were they worn around the neck as protective amulets, or perhaps sewn onto clothing? What meaning was embedded in the process of shaping the female figure? It is generally believed that they are connected to the concept of the Mother Goddess and that people expected their benevolent influence on female fertility.
More than 6,500 years ago, people already felt the need to represent the female form in this intriguing way, and perhaps suggest elements of clothing. Alongside practical bone tools and weapons used in everyday life; craftsmen deliberately applied their skills to create these anthropomorphic figures.