SHA’AR HAGOLAN, ISRAEL—According to a report in The Jerusalem Post, a possible mother goddess figurine crafted by members of the Yarmukian culture some 8,000 years ago has been uncovered in the Golan Heights. Anna Eirikh-Rose of the Israel Antiquities Authority said the Yarmukians living in the settlement where the figurine was uncovered produced pottery vessels on a large scale. This seated figurine, found in two pieces next to the wall of a dwelling, measured about eight inches long. “This is one of the largest examples of the figurine found,” she explained. “It is of a large seated woman with big hips, a unique pointed hat and what is known as ‘coffee-bean’ eyes and a big nose. One hand is positioned on her hip and the other one under her breast.” The eyes may actually represent kernels of wheat or barley, she added. Eirikh-Rose and her colleagues will analyze the clay used to make the figurine and try to determine how it was used. “This is a big question to study—the development of religious beliefs and culture,” she concluded. To read about Neolithic clay cylinders that might have been the world's first matches, go to "World Roundup: Israel."
