ANCIENT MUSINGS

Intrigued by hieroglyphic symbols of ancient cultures, in 2019 I carved a series of stone discs inspired by mid-Neolithic to early Bronze Age people living between the Danube river valley and the Mediterranean from 5200-1200 BCE.

According to archaeologists, their societies and surroundings were bequests of a Mother Goddess who governed all aspects of their lives. The hieroglyphs they carved are found on dwellings, temples, tombs, pottery and sculpture. They are components of a complete ideological system that survived well into the early Christian era.

In 2020, I extended my exploration of symbols to the anthropomorphic “Bird Goddess” figures unearthed where the carvings that inspired my disc sculptures were found.  As a modernist sculptor, I am intrigued by how “modern” these ancient artifacts appear. Their simple shapes convey messages that evoke emotional response to the rhythms of life: birth, death and regeneration.

In carving this set of Bird Goddess sculptures, I let my imagination wander to a point where symbols and shapes were assembled cross-culturally to suit my personal aesthetic.   I have given each a name used by people living today near the sites where the artifacts were found.

Note: The Disc sculptures were carved in 2019 from Brazilian steatite. They are 18 ½” in diameter and mounted on Absolute Black granite bases.  The Bird Goddess figures were carved in 2020 from polystyrene foam, covered with polymer, painted with pearlescent glaze and mounted on painted cedar bases.  They range in height from 18 ½” to 19 ¾.”