Burnt clay figurine, modelled in a meditative position, a rare presence in the prehistoric art, dubbed after a Rodin’s famous sculpture

Morphology of the object:

The statuette was discovered at Cernavoda, in a funerary context, together with a feminine statuette. The Thinker is made of polished, dark-grey clay representing a sitting man on a small chair. The head quite oval has the face with modelled nose, the eyes depict by triangular impressions and the mouth marked by a small hole. A very long neck supports the head. The body is slightly curved and the legs are bending. The bend arms are placed on the knees and the hands hold the head. This position obviously suggests a thinking attitude from where the nick name of the statuette -The Thinker.

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The figurine was discovered in the necropolis of Cernavodă which contains more than 400 inhumation graves. The grave goods include stone axes, pots, bracelets, anthropomorphic figurines. Even though the figurines discovered so far are similar in what concern their morphology, the position in which the Thinker is modelled makes it special. A little clay figurine, roughly modelled in a similar position was found at Truşeşti, in the aria of Cucuteni culture.

The attitude of thinking of this statuette could be linked to meditation about life and death, considering that the artefact belongs to a funerary context. The Thinker was also interpreted as a vegetation God that has to die in order to resurrect the following spring, or as a Death God, consort of the great Goddess.

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