Twin Seated Figurine

dimensions 13cm high

Museum of Archaeology, Gozo

This small polychrome sculpture carved in globigerina limestone was found in 1991 during excavations at the Xagħra Circle, not far from the Ġgantija temples.

Dating to about 3000 BC, it portrays a pair of obese, probably female figures seated side by side on a wickerwork couch, decorated with spiral designs. The figurine on the left holds a small representation of itself, or most probably a baby. The other holds a small cup or beaker. One figure sports a haircut with a pigtail, and distinctive skirts drape the pair.

The statuette was found lying forward on its front, having fallen off a nearby capstone that rested on three upright slabs inside a central shrine. Placed in a prominent position on the capstone, the statuette would have probably served as a focus of attention in religious rituals associated with the dead buried in this underground mortuary complex.