Mortar (20/20/17) with Mallet (29) by Michalis Kontopidis

The nature and significance of the Early Cycladic culture are not easy to determine. The latter flourished in the Cyclades, in the central Aegean, during the 3rd millennium BC. The absence of written sources and the fact that a large number of these objects did not come to light through systematic excavations, leave the interpretation about their meaning and purpose open. Created by the island communities, these artefacts –especially the marble figurines– allow for a more effective consideration of the Cycladic societies.

As works of an anthropocentric culture, they mainly depict naked female figures and constitute the most characteristic creation of Early Cycladic art. Despite their abstraction and simplicity, essential characteristics have been preserved and have become the greatest source of inspiration for important Modernist artists.