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An exceptionally rare Ancient European Vinca Culture zoomorphic creature, dating to the 5th Millennium BC.
The gray terracotta horned creature with elongated forehead, pointed nose and mouth, short legs, stub tail and a large belly. The quality of this finely made sculpture exceeds the vast majority of known Vinca pieces. Careful modeling and use of incised decoration create a marvelous, powerful aesthetic.
The subject matter is rather mysterious. The highly stylized figure appears to be horned, suggesting that it may represent a ram or bull. However, the incised decoration and pointed mouth do not appear to bear any resemblance to any real creature, perhaps indicating that the figure represents some other-worldly being or deity.
This important piece appears to be without parallel.
Length: 3 1/8 inches.
Height: 2 1/2 inches.
Condition: Lower areas of the four feet restored. Tip of nose and mouth, right and left horn and a small section of the body on the right also restored. Two small drill holes at the bottom a result of TL testing (see below). Most genuine Vinca objects are found broken, in many cases the head being all thats left. This is because they were ritually broken in antiquity. The present example was largely complete when found, enabling the restorer to faithfully reproduce the beast.
Provenance: Ex English private collection. Ex. German Art Market, 1990's. Thermoluminescence test performed by the previous collector attests to the authenticity of this item. The paperwork, issued by Oxford Authentication Ltd., will be provided to the new owner.
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