The Cyclades are a cluster of islands in central Aegean. They comprise of about 220 islands, the major ones being Amorgos, Anafi, Ándros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kéa, Kimolos, Kythnos, Mílos, Mykonos, Náxos,, Páros, Pholegandros, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Síros, Tínos and Santorini (Thira). Most of the smaller islands are uninhabited

1. Sadigh Gallery Cycladic Idols
Collection
Cycladic Idols
Posted on December 13, 2012 by Sadigh Gallery
The Cyclades are a cluster of islands in central Aegean. They comprise of about 220
islands, the major ones being Amorgos, Anafi, Ándros, Antiparos, Delos, Ios, Kéa,
Kimolos, Kythnos, Mílos, Mykonos, Náxos,, Páros, Pholegandros, Serifos, Sifnos,
Sikinos, Síros, Tínos and Santorini (Thira). Most of the smaller islands are uninhabited.
The significant Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Cycladic
culture (between 3200 BC and 2000 BC) is best known for its
schematic flat idols carved out of the islands’ pure white
marble, and sometimes black basalt, centuries before the
Middle Bronze Age (“Minoan”) culture arose in Crete. These
idols or figurines, as they are sometimes called, usually depict a
human, mostly female, albeit in an abstracted form. These
figurines are represented in simple geometric forms that might
be considered crude by our standards. They are mostly
characterized by their oval shaped face — with small shallow
incisions that represent the eyes, flat back, stylized genitals and
most importantly their gesture: arms folded in the front with
the left arm higher than the right.
The purpose of these figurines, or idols, still continues to elude
experts, as there are no written records available. However they
were all found in and around graves which might help suggest
that they might have served as some sort of guardians to the
afterlife a la the Egyptian Ushabtis. Another point of note is
their genitals which is always stylistically depicted as two
diagonal lines coming together to form a vertex with a slight rectangular slit in the
middle. This gives it the appearance of an inverted triangle. This observation has led
some experts to believe that these figurines also served as a fertility figure. It should
also be noted that this kind of stylistic treatment of the female genitals is similar to
those seen on Paleolithic statuettes like the Venus of Willendorf.

2. Cycladic figurines are truly interesting pieces, from a stylistic as well as from a thematic
point of view. Their very true purpose still remains a mystery that is open to
interpretations and a ton of questions. One question that especially nags is: why does a
funeral idol, found in graves, have characteristics of a fertility figure? One likely answer
is that maybe the Cyclades believed in reincarnation and were trying to explore the
relationship between life and death.
Sadigh Gallery houses a limited quantity of Cycladic figurines, which form one of our
most valuable collections. Visit our website today to see these enigmatic pieces. Also feel
free to call us toll free at 1(800)426-2007 if you require additional information.