Goddess Figure
Hsing-lung-wa Culture, Neolithic Age (ca. 6000 BC)
Stone, height: 65.5 cm
Collection: Lin-hsi County Museum
(Ch'ih-feng, Inner Mongolia)
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The body of this female figure, rendered
from the hip up, is shown in a tucked position. Though crudely carved, it appears to be
nude. At the time of excavation, it was found standing with the pointed end in the ground
within a structure where the hearth was kept. Ancient cultures had protective spirits that
included a spirit figure for the hearth and a goddess for regeneration. In terms of the
sculptural features of this work, the feminine features have obviously been emphasized,
including the breasts, the extended abdomen, and the hips. These are all parts of the
female body vital in one or another to giving birth to and raising babies. This reflects
an early recognition of the importance attached to fertility and nurturing in this
culture. |
