Trojan Schematic Idols at Munich

Anatolian Studies http://journals.cambridge.org/ANK Additional services for Anatolian Studies: Email alerts: Click here Subscriptions: Click here Commercial reprints: Click here Terms of use : Click here Trojan Schematic Idols at Munich Dariusz Maliszewski Anatolian Studies / Volume 43 / December 1993, pp 111 - 115 DOI: 10.2307/3642968, Published online: 23 December 2013 Link to this article: http://journals.cambridge.org/abstract_S0066154600008206 How to cite this article: Dariusz Maliszewski (1993). Trojan Schematic Idols at Munich. Anatolian Studies, 43, pp 111-115 doi:10.2307/3642968 Request Permissions : Click here Downloaded from http://journals.cambridge.org/ANK, IP address: 137.99.31.134 on 25 May 2015 TROJAN SCHEMATIC IDOLS AT MUNICH* by DARIUSZ MALISZEWSKI Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw In the Staatliche Antikensammlungen und Glyptothek in Munich (SASuG) there are four marble schematic idols from Schliemann's excavations at Troy. In 1902 these objects together with a large group of other Trojan artefacts (pottery, spindle whorls and small stone objects) were transferred from Berlin to Munich, to the Konigliche Vasen-Sammlung (Bertram 1992: 44) now an integral part of SASuG. From Schmidt's catalogue we know that more schematic stone idols were sent to Munich (Schmidt 1902: 334). Alfred Gotze in the subsection "Brettformige Idole: Aus Stein und Muschel" of this catalogue described several groups of idols. Thirty idols—28 of marble, one of schist(?) and one of limestone—were marked with numbers 7348 to 7377 (Gotze 1902: 277 ff.). Among this group predominate idols with engraved features on the face and neck (nine examples), face (seven examples), face, neck and hair (two examples); the others have engraved features on the face and breasts (one example); on the face and a circle with a central point between "shoulders" (one example). In this group there are also nine simple stone idols (cat. nos 7369-7377) without any engraving. From the register to the catalogue it appears that these objects were sent to a dozen or so collections (their names are given), including Munich (Schmidt 1902: 334). Unfortunately it is not clear what type they were and how many of them were transferred to each institution. The next group (7378-7407) consists of 30 idols similar in form to the objects marked by numbers from 7369 to 7377 (Gotze 1902: 279). The author distinguished among them 15 "doublets" (Dubletten). Their history also is very complicated because we do not know how many of them and what type were given to Munich (Schmidt 1902: 334). None of the above-mentioned idols has survived. During the Second World War they were stored, along with other antiquities, in the Neue Pinakothek at Munich. During one of the many air-raids a bomb destroyed a large number of antiquities and part of the register.1 Other groups of objects distinguished by Gotze are, however, directly related to the four idols now in SASuG. Because of their great importance in establishing the provenance of these four idols I cite, in the original, the whole catalogue-description of the three groups. For better orientation the groups have been numbered 1-3 (Gotze 1902: 279). Group 1: 7408-7435. 28 brettartige Idole, meist aus Marmor, in verschiedenen *I would like to express my gratitude to Drs W. F. Hamdorf and B. Kaeser from SASuG at Munich for the permission to use the unpublished material, for the photographs and for assistance during my research. I am grateful to Dr. P. Z. Spanos from the Institute of Near Eastern Archaeology at Munich for his advice and for his encouragement to publish this paper. I am also very grateful to Mrs. Milena Bida from Warsaw for her careful work in revising the English text of this article. The present paper is part of my M.A. thesis on the "Schematic idols from Cyclades, Crete and Troy in the 3rd Millennium B.C." prepared under supervision of Professor L. Press in the Institute of Archaeology at Warsaw University. 'This information was kindly given to me by Dr. B. Kaeser. 112 ANATOLIAN STUDIES Formen, teils oval oder ellipsenformig, teils rechteckig. Kopf und Rumpf ist nur durch geringe Einkerbungen charakterisiert. Vgl. No. 7347. 7348. Gr. Lge. 0,034-0,094; gr. Br.-0,020-0,055. Vgl. "TrojaIlion" S.379 Fig. 344c (=7409). Dubletten: 9. Group 2: 7438-7512. 75 Idole, meist aus Marmor, No. 7457 aus Muschel, mit entwickelter Hals- und Kopfbildung; Rumpf langlich abgerundet oder halb-mondformig, seltener rechteckig. Vgl. No. 7351-7359. Gr. Lge. 0,028-0,107; gr. Br. 0,015-0,067. Vgl. Schl. Ilios S.264 No. 73. "Troja-Ilion" S.379 Fig. 344 d (=7461); e (=7462). Dubletten: 50. Group 3: 7518-7546. 29 Idole oder Bruchstiicke von solchen, meist aus Marmor, mit stark entwickeltem, z.T. auffallend langem Halse; Rumpf abgerundet oder rechteckig. Vgl. No. 7362. 7363. Gr. Lge. 0,036-0,138; gr. Br. 0,020-0,076. No. 7545 Bruchstiick aus der II. Ansiedlung. Vgl. "Troja-Ilion" S.379 Fig. 344 f (=7521); g (=7520); h(=7519). Dubletten: 8. The information given in these descriptions is very general and refers to groups consisting of dozens of objects. In spite of such a laconic account it seems possible to attribute the four idols to their appropriate groups, since the other catalogue numbers which were introduced between 1897 and 1900 are clearly visible. Every older number bears the letters "EV"—probably an abbreviation of the fifth chapter (Einzelfunde, Abtlg. V) in Schmidt's catalogue (Schmidt 1902: xii, xix, 277). Schematic idols from Troy have not been arranged in a complete typology. Only Blegen and Hockmann (Blegen 1950-8, 1: PI. 27; Hockmann 1976: 179, Fig. 176) have tried to resolve the problem but the two typologies do not contain all Trojan schematic types. Absence of full typology can be explained by a scarcity of material. There are 53 stone objects from the American excavations summarily listed in Blegen's publication (Blegen 1950-8, 1-4: passim). The large group of imprecisely dated idols from Schliemann's excavations at Troy is not particularly helpful. Renfrew in his article on the Cycladic idols isolated one Trojan schematic type (Renfrew 1969: 27). In the light of present knowedge the four idols from Munich which are shown in Plate XVI, can be listed as follows: 1. Inv. no. 10.378 (PI. XVI, A) Dimensions: H. 9 cm.; W. 6-75 cm.; Th. 0-92 cm. Material: gray marble Preservation: undamaged. Flat idol with sharp double edges; well smoothed. Head, neck and body (rounded in the lower part) are separated by two broad indentations. The form of this idol is discussed neither in Blegen's nor in Hockmann's typology. The shape of the torso is somewhat close to type 3G and the head to type 3D, in Blegen's typology (Blegen 1950-8, 1: PI. 127). In Hockmann's typology the object may be compared only with type 17 (Hockmann 1976: 179, Fig. 176). The old inventory number EV 7438/7512 indicates that this idol belongs to group 2 (7438-7512). The material, shape and dimensions, all correspond to the description of these 75 objects. We do not know how many of the 50 idols transferred to 35 institutions were received by the museum at Munich (Schmidt 1902: 334 f.). The idol has some doublets (Gotze 1902: 279, cat. 7438-7512 (group 2); Blegen 1950-8, 1: 337, PL 360, 35-444; Hockmann 1968: PL 5, Fig. 11; TROJAN SCHEMATIC IDOLS AT MUNICH 113 Thimme 1976: 546, cat. 476; Hiihn 1981: 75-6, cat. 136, Fig. 22)2 and was illustrated, with approximate dimensions, by Schliemann (1874: PI. 93, no. 2138). 2. Inv. no. 10.380 (PI. XVI, B) Dimensions: H. 6-61 cm.; W. 3 cm.; Th. 0-81 cm. Material: yellowish marble Preservation: some damage to upper edge of head and lower edge of torso. Flat, well smoothed surface. Two identations separate the rectangular-shaped head and neck. The elongated torso rounded in lower part. This object does not exist in any typology, although the shape of its head is different from those of other idols. This idol should probably be classified as type 2D in Blegen's typology, on the basis of the shape of the torso (Blegen 1950-5, 1: PI. 127). The unusual rectangular head has no analogy in any typology. Idols with such an elaborate head were not found in the American excavations. From the older inventory number EV 7438/7512 we may conclude that this idol belongs to group 2 (7438-7512). The material, form and dimensions conform to the description characteristic of this group. The idol has doublets dating from earlier excavations (Gotze 1902: 279, cat. 7438-7512 (group 2). 3. Inv. no. 10.379 (PI. XVI, C) Dimensions: H. 5-88 cm.; W. 3-25 cm.; Th. 0-97 cm. Material: yellowish marble Preservation: undamaged. Flat idol; well smoothed surface. Two indentations separate the head (rounded in its upper part) from the torso (rounded in its lower part). This idol can be attributed to type 2D in Blegen's typology (Blegen 1950-8, 1: PI. 127). From the presence of the older inventory number EV 7408/35 it is possible to include this object in group 1 (7408-7435). Material, dimensions and form correspond with the description of the whole group. We do not know how many of the nine doublets transferred to seven collections reached Munich (Schmidt 1902: 334). The idol has doublets in material from earlier excavations (Gotze 1902: 279, cat. 7408-7435 [group 1]). 4. Inv. no. 10.381 (PI. XVI, D) Dimensions: H. 705 cm.; W. 4-85 cm.; Th. 0-67 cm. Material: yellowish marble Preservation: edge of torso (particularly one side) and head are slightly damaged. Flat idol; well smoothed surface. The upper part of the head and the lower part of the wide torso are rounded; they are distinctly separate. The neck is long with sharp double edges. This object may be included in type 14 in Hockmann's typology (Hockmann 1976: 179, Fig. 176). Also in the typology published by Renfrew (1969: 27) and Blegen (1950-8, 1: PI. 127 [type 3E]) there are similar, although slightly more squat, forms. To judge from the older inventory number EV 7518/46 and from the shape, material and dimensions this idol can be ascribed to group 3 (7518-7546). In 2 It is possible that among analogous objects quoted in older literature (1950 and earlier) there are also four idols from Munich. 114 ANATOLIAN STUDIES this case we can be sure that only one doublet was sent to Munich (Schmidt 1902: 335). The idol has a few doublets (Schliemann 1874: PI. 21, no. 586 [but the head is not quite so distinctly separated]; 1880: 336, no. 219; Gotze 1902: 279, cat. 7518-7546 [group 3]; Blegen 1950-8, 1: 101, PI. 216: 35-65; 310, PI. 360: 36-34; Thimme 1976: 547, cat. 487 [from Kyme], 483 and 485 [from two other sites in West Anatolia, whose names were not given]). It seems impossible precisely to date the four idols because at Troy one type of object often exists in several different levels which do not always follow in succession. In this kind of study, therefore, the criterion of form is not useful. Gotze dates all schematic idols, in general, to Troy II-V (Gotze 1902: 278), though they existed as far back as Troy I (Blegen 1950-8, 1: 37). The absolute chronology places the production of these objects more or less within the period 3000 to 1800 BC (Blegen 1964: 174). Probably only one idol can be dated exactly to Troy II, because it was described in 1874. Before that year such an early settlement level had been reached only in the third excavation season in 1873 (Troja 1981: 8 ff.). The idols are very well executed. Both sides are thoroughly smoothed. We do no know how many similar objects exist (Blegen 1950-8, 2: PI. 48: 37-544).3 The origin of the four idols from Troy could be confirmed, to some extent, by petrological research. In such studies it must be remembered that in the Aegean layers of marble came into existence more or less at one time and therefore their structure and chemical composition are very similar. We know much about the marble layers in Greece, on the Cyclades and on Crete (Renfrew and Peacey 1968: passim), but nothing about marble in the Troad. 4 We should also bear in mind that the first "quarries" in the Troad would be small, primitive outcrops exploited with very simple tools. Probably during the Bronze Age there were such "quarries" in the Troad. We do not know much about them. Therefore, if an analysis revealed that "our" idols are made of marble from the Cyclades (for example), could we accept the result without reservation? It cannot be ruled out that the marble might come from some unknown "outcrop" in the Troad, although its chemical composition and structure resemble the Cyladic. The problem has already been indicated by Renfrew, who wrote that the marbles from Xeropotamos in Crete and from Siphnos are very similar to those from Attica and Paros (op. cit., 58). In the present state of research this paper is only a small contribution to the further studies on the Trojan schematic idols from the Munich collections.5 3 In most cases only one side of the idol was smoothed (Blegen 1950-8, 1: PI. 360: 35-221; 1950-8, 2: PL 48: 33-216). 4 Blegen has already pointed out this problem. In writing about 10 stone idols from Troy I he said, "All are made of flat pieces of marble or other hard limestone, not native to the immediate neighborhood of Troy. The source of the marble is yet unknown." (Blegen 1950-8, 1: 45). Also in more recent literature there is no mention of marble sources which were exploited in the Troad during the Bronze Age (e.g. Rapp and Gifford 1982: 11 —41). We know most about the quarries existing in this area in the Roman period. The majority of exploited marble beds were situated in the vicinity of Alexandria Troas (Dworakowska 1983: passim). 5 No separate study has been devoted to the function of Trojan schematic idols. Their function, however, can be compared to some extent with that of Cycladic idols. For example see: Picard 1948: 123 f.; Mylonas 1955: passim; Erlenmeyer 1965: 68-70; Schefold 1965: 87-90; Thimme 1965: 72-86; Hockmann 1968: 72 f.; Simon 1969: 236, 239; Hockmann 1976: 38-53, 178-89; Doumas 1978: 21 f.; Barber 1984: 10-14; Davis 1984: 15-21; Renfrew 1984: 24-30. TROJAN SCHEMATIC IDOLS AT MUNICH 115 BIBLIOGRAPHY Barber, R. L. N., 1984. "Early Cycladic marble figures: some thoughts on function". 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