Zoomorphic Face Representation

This object is made of clay and has a three-sided shape, somewhat resembling a hanging isosceles triangle with broadly extended upper corners and a slightly arched top. Its lower part is restored, but the piece would have been about 12.5 cm tall and just as wide at the top, including the horns.

The front, where the face is shown, is strongly convex. It is modeled with two symmetrical triangular planes forming the face and the eyes, while a third plane above them represents the forehead with two short horns. The eyes are almond-shaped and bulging, framed above by wide, flat brows outlined with an incised line. The nose is simply suggested by the ridge between the two facial planes. The upper part of the head is rounded and decorated with five bands, alternating between smooth and scratched surfaces. The short conical horns are marked by an incised line, each pierced with a small hole at the back, probably for suspension.

The back of the piece is clearly concave, with thin and carefully shaped edges. There is no indication that it ever served as a lid.

The image is zoomorphic and clearly represents the head of a bull - a powerful symbol of masculinity in the religious and mythological world of early farming and herding communities.

It was discovered in the fill of a burial mound at the prehistoric site of Provadia-Solnitsata. By its style and craftsmanship, it can be seen as a refined example of Late Chalcolithic art, dating to around 4600 – 4350 BC.