Prehistoric Figurines in Sudan

Bibliographic Data

ID11848530
AuthorsRandi Haaland (University of Bergen), Gunnar Haaland (University of Bergen)
EditorsTimothy Insoll (0000-0002-3072-3088)
Year2017
Publication date2017-06-06
Open AccessNo
TypeBOOK
VenueOxford Handbook of Prehistoric Figurines (SOURCE_BOOK)
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199675616.013.005
OpenAlexW2735640120
ISBN9780199675616
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited6

The chapter presents a descriptive account of Neolithic site inventories containing figurines in the Sudan Nile Valley. Cattle figurines indicate that animal husbandry played an important role in economic life as well as in political and ritual contexts. Female figurines can be seen as a multi-vocal symbol that may evoke a wide spectrum of meanings ranging from sexuality and fertility to basic qualities in human relations— trust, dependency, and solidarity. The mother–child relation is generally associated with such qualities. Symbolic imagery (e.g. female figurines) evoking this relation serves to foster compelling ideas of solidarity in small-scale networks of relations. In Neolithic pre-state communities, security of life and property is based on ad hoc political mobilization of such small-scale networks. Emergence of more permanent, specialized politico-administrative structures serving to maintain security within societies of larger scale is associated with increase in signs (e.g. weaponry, monumental architecture) expressing male warrior-like qualities

Animism · Archaeology · Cartography · Ethnology · Geography · Political science · Politics · Prehistory · Relation (database · Scale (ratio · Sociology · Solidarity · State (computer science · Anthropology · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Archaeology and Rock Art Studies · Cross-Cultural and Social Analysis · History · Law

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