Prehistoric Phalangeal Figurines

The Simplest Paleolithic Figurines

 

These images illustrate some of the arguments in my lecture on Palaeolithic phalangeal figurines, which is based on the work of Pascal Raux and later collaborative research that I published in Rock Art Research (2009, Vol. 26, No. 1: 65-82).


Paleolithic perforated phalanges, Moustier & Tarté
Harrison's phalange with natural hole & perforation experiment (After Harrison)
Henri Martin's diagram showing the weak spot in a phalange
Hyena gnawing & gastric acids make cylindrical holes per d’Errico
Hyenas in den
Competing hypothesis: Whistles
Penny whistles & police whistles
Pyrenees shepherd’s whistle language (See Dauvois & Morley)
Competing hypothesis: For extracting marrow
Competing hypothesis: For carrying poison
Eskimo/Inuit phalangeal birthing amulets/dolls (After Yvon Csonka via Pascal Raux )
Peule women carry phalangeal figurines
Luba divination basket with phalangeal figurines. Caldwell 2008
2 phalanges & a figure from a Luba basket. Caldwell 2008
Inuit myth: Ring seals born from goddess’s phalanges
Greek myth: Dactyls were born of Rhea’s phalanges
Mount Pentadactylos, Cyprus, Geological effigies of the Dactyls that served Rhea
Phalanges in Louis Siret’s 1908 book “Religions Néolithiques de l'Iberie”
Painted phalange, Sepulture 7, Los Millares. After Louis Siret, L'Espagne Préhistorique 1893
Louis Siret, 1908, Phalanges
Iberian phalangeal idol 1912 by Louis Siret
Phalangeal eye idol, Pijotilla, Badajoz, Spain. After Victor Hurtado 1986
Phalangeal figurines in Louis Siret’s Religions Néolithiques de l'Iberie, Pl. VI 1908
Illustration of incised & painted phalanges & distal bones from Louis Siret’s works.
Neolithic phalangeal figurine, Almizaraque, Spain. After Louis Siret, Orientaux et Occidentaux en Espagne, Pl. VI 1907
A terracotta imitation of a phalangeal idol (#14). After Louis Siret, Religions Néolithiques de l'Iberie, Planche IV 1908
Incised Neolithic(?) Franco-Italian perforated phalange. Caldwell 2008.
Avdeevo mammoth phalangeal figurine. After Abramova, Z. 1995 Fig 40 #8 & Gvozdover, M. 1995 Fig. 153
Avdeevo hare & wolf metapodia & ivory imitation (#10 )in Ivory. After Abramova, Z. 1995 Fig 47 & Gvozdover, M. 1995
Avdeevo metapodia with bellies. After Abramova, Z. 1995 Fig 40 #5-7 & Gvozdover, M. 1995
Avdeevo metapodia with bellies. After Abramova, Z. 1995 Fig 46. & Gvozdover, M. 1995
Mousterian phalangeal pendant? La Quina, Martin, H. 1907-10
Prolom II “incised” phalange. After Stepanchuk, V.N. 1993