DIE SCHWANGERSCHAFT IM KULT DER LENGYEL-KULTUR UND IM SÜDOSTEUROPÄISCHEN NEOLITHIKUM
PREGNANCY IN THE CULT OF LENGYEL CULTURE AND THE NEOLITHIC OF SOUTH EAST EUROPE

Summary/Abstract: The present paper examines the role of idols of pregnant women and pregnancy in the Neolithic cult of Central and Southeastern Europe after 72 selected representations. The study started from three clay idols showing marks of pregnancy from the Mórágy, Györe and Santovka sites of the Lengyel culture and the burial of a woman who had died in childbirth unearthed in the Lengyel culture cemetery of Alsónyék-Kanizsa-dűlő. The first representations of pregnancy appeared in the Palaeolithic and they also occurred, even though sporadically, in the Neolithic of Near East and Southeastern Europe as well. Pregnant women are represented in the clay idols in standing, sitting (enthroned) and half-sitting positions just as it was normal at the idols of the Neolithic, although most of them belong among the standing representations. Sixteen groups of the representations of pregnancy could be differentiated by size and shape. Idols showing marks of pregnancy make a very low percent of the figural representations of the Neolithic and the Aeneolithic of Southeastern and Central Europe. The population of the Late Neolithic and Copper Age Lengyel culture also prepared similar figurines and used them at cultic events. The three idols of pregnant women from the Lengyel culture described in this paper represent three different types. All that we can say about the function of these objects is that they could take part in various versions of Neolithic idol cult, which however have not yet been unveiled.

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