Chronology and historico-cultural significance of the Early Archaic ›Stempelidole‹ from Attica

Abstract

Original title: Zur Chronologie und kulturhistorischen Bedeutung früharchaischer attischer ›Stempelidole‹

The number of the known Attic ›Stempelidole‹, handmade terracotta figurines with cylindrical bodies and ›bird-like‹ faces, has grown significantly with numerous new discoveries over the last few decades. This contribution aims first at shedding light on the group’s yet problematic chronology by aid of a systematic evaluation of the find contexts. It then stresses the type’s significance for the socio-cultural development in Early Archaic Attica throughout its production from at least the mid-7th century B.C. to around 580/570 B.C. This category of figurines may be considered the first large group of simple votives in the region, whilst indicating to the virtually simultaneous formation of large new, and expansion of already extant cultic communities in many places of Attica. This process may in turn reflect social change, but cannot directly be related only to the emergence of the Athenian polis.