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HOME :
Biblical Antiquities :
Chalcolithic Artefacts : Golan Basalt Altar in the Form of a Bird-Headed Deity
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Golan Basalt Altar in the Form of a Bird-Headed Deity - X.0021
Origin: Golan, Israel
Circa: 4000
BC
to 3000
BC
Dimensions:
12.875" (32.7cm) high
x 4.375" (11.1cm) wide
Collection: Biblical
Style: Chalcolithic
Medium: Basalt
Additional Information: Art Logic--Safani Gallery Inc. (New York) 2003
Location: United States
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| Description |
This imposing basalt altar dates from
the Chalcolithic era, the intermediate
period after the advent of stone tools
and before the beginning of the Bronze
Age. This was an age of
experimentation, when metalworking was
slowly perfected, giving rise to the
Bronze Age. This large and powerful
work is one of the earliest examples of
religious art from a region that would
become known as the Holy Lands. The
large beak-like nose is emphasized as
the seat of the breath of life. Here,
the simple yet essential act of
breathing is suggested. It is through
breath that we are endowed with life.
As such, the prominent beak seeks to
endow the cold, hard stone with the
warmth of life. Libations and offerings
to the gods would have been placed in
the shallow concave bowl on top of the
head, likely to insure the continued
prosperity of crops. Thus this work was
a result of religious superstition that
sought to link the forces of nature with
the actions of civilization. By
worshipping this avian deity, the
ancient peoples of Golan hoped to
influence the god, to gain their
benevolent favor, and to dissuade their
wrath. Even in our modern era, such
superstitions persist as good luck
charms. This ancient sculpture touches
the very foundations human emotions, our
fear of disaster and determination to
understand the natural world around us.
- (X.0021)
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