Schematic figurines are often occasional surface finds of various typologies and certain among them have highly abstract forms.
Of course, it is possible that some of them will be included in the future in the category of figurines with standard typology.
Some others might symbolize something, but not a general concept (as for instance, that of a leader, of a deity etc.). Possibly they might stand for a specific entity (as would be, for example, a certain group of people, a family or a settlement).
It must be underlined that most of the known figurine material studied up to present has been made of baked clay or stone, i.e. time-resisting materials which demand a skilled modeler. On the contrary, perishable materials such as wood, unbaked clay or skin, being more ductile, may easily take shape by anybody. So, along with skilled modelers, anyone who wished to express a notion – even an unskilled person- could have modeled a figurine using perishable materials. The material representation of various notions covering the needs of smaller social human groups is very likely to have resulted to schematic figurines of various typologies, of which only those made of time-resisting materials have been preserved to our days.
a) Fortuitous finds
b) Possibly a specific
smaller social entity
(family, settlement)
