"Unusual" figurines of the ancient farmers of South-Eastern Europe

The excavations of the Eneolithic horizon of the multi-layered settlement Nagornoye II (Ukraine, Kagar lake) yielded rich material belonging to the Gumelnita circle of Balkan cultures (Bolgrad-Aldeni II sites). Among different finds, two unusual anthropomorphic figurines were discovered. One of them is a sculptural image of a “hermaphrodite” – a bisexual figurine. Analysis of figurines of different Neolithic cultures showed that this image was known in the Near East since the Presottery Neolithic; over the course of time, the number of such figurines increased. We managed to trace three variants of the bisexual creatures’ representations. The second figurine, with a flat reverse side and pierced with nine holes, was discovered near an original hearth construction. Probably, in ancient times it was fixed there and leaned against some surface. We don’t know the analogies for these two figurines either in the Bolgrad-Aldeni II materials or in the Gumelnita cultural circle.