Global Approaches to Early Representations of the Human Figure
@gaerhf-bot.bsky.social
Posting links about Global Approaches to Early Representations of the Human Figure. https://gaerhf.org . Run by
@sebhth.bsky.social (who will follow you back). So not really a bot. Profile pic is Westray Figurine: https://gaerhf.org/#westray-figurine
@sebhth.bsky.social (who will follow you back). So not really a bot. Profile pic is Westray Figurine: https://gaerhf.org/#westray-figurine
The "Museo delle Statue Stele Lunigianesi" website is very nice. Here's a link to "Classification". Click through to pages with individual examples. And click around the entire site. It's well done. I'd like to visit! statuestele.org/stele-statue...
Classification - Museo delle Statue Stele Lunigianesi
Group A
statuestele.org
November 11, 2025 at 7:11 AM
The "Museo delle Statue Stele Lunigianesi" website is very nice. Here's a link to "Classification". Click through to pages with individual examples. And click around the entire site. It's well done. I'd like to visit! statuestele.org/stele-statue...
There are now 500 figures in GAERHF. And counting... Long way to go before it's anything like comprehensive. This face from Argentina captures my mood as I think about where this all will end up. gaerhf.org#condorhuasi-... (Pic of Mask from Met Museum, Public Domain.)
November 5, 2025 at 7:23 AM
There are now 500 figures in GAERHF. And counting... Long way to go before it's anything like comprehensive. This face from Argentina captures my mood as I think about where this all will end up. gaerhf.org#condorhuasi-... (Pic of Mask from Met Museum, Public Domain.)
Semi-functional UI development: "Keyword Highlighting". See pic. There's a small textbox at top left with "Gold". Green rings are figures with that keyword. I've clicked on a S. American beaker, highlighted in red, details in top pane. Pop-up is on hover over green marker. gaerhf.org#beaker-figur...
November 4, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Semi-functional UI development: "Keyword Highlighting". See pic. There's a small textbox at top left with "Gold". Green rings are figures with that keyword. I've clicked on a S. American beaker, highlighted in red, details in top pane. Pop-up is on hover over green marker. gaerhf.org#beaker-figur...
A new "human figure" related article: N. Sugiyama, K. Taube, S. Sugiyama, & A.T. Muñoz. 2025. "Carved monuments from Cerro Patlachique in the Teotihuacan Valley, Mexico" www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
Carved monuments from Cerro Patlachique in the Teotihuacan Valley, Mexico | Antiquity | Cambridge Core
Carved monuments from Cerro Patlachique in the Teotihuacan Valley, Mexico
www.cambridge.org
November 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
A new "human figure" related article: N. Sugiyama, K. Taube, S. Sugiyama, & A.T. Muñoz. 2025. "Carved monuments from Cerro Patlachique in the Teotihuacan Valley, Mexico" www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/c... (Many figurines and masks illustrated in the article.) #paywall
A Storm Hit Alaska. Now, a Native Community Is Racing to Save Its History.
www.nytimes.com
November 4, 2025 at 1:17 PM
www.nytimes.com/2025/11/04/c... (Many figurines and masks illustrated in the article.) #paywall
I'm working on a substantial UI update for GAERHF. Pic shows detail for a figure in Yemen, mouse is hovering over a figure across Red Sea, and a small gallery of all figures on screen is at bottom of page. Works best slightly zoomed in. Otherwise gallery too big. Try it at gaerhf.org#qatabanian-c...
October 30, 2025 at 10:58 PM
I'm working on a substantial UI update for GAERHF. Pic shows detail for a figure in Yemen, mouse is hovering over a figure across Red Sea, and a small gallery of all figures on screen is at bottom of page. Works best slightly zoomed in. Otherwise gallery too big. Try it at gaerhf.org#qatabanian-c...
Quick note that I've added this Parthian "lute player" and that I'm happy to admit that I hadn't known that there is a series of Parthian musical figurines. See the linked wiki page for another example. gaerhf.org#parthian-lut... #AncientMusic
October 28, 2025 at 5:24 AM
Quick note that I've added this Parthian "lute player" and that I'm happy to admit that I hadn't known that there is a series of Parthian musical figurines. See the linked wiki page for another example. gaerhf.org#parthian-lut... #AncientMusic
I'm working on an improvement to the GAERHF user experience. Links such as gaerhf.org#standing-fem... will highlight the location in red and maintain that highlight as you hover over other figures. Big picture: The spatial and temporal context of any one figure can be explored in relation to others.
October 19, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I'm working on an improvement to the GAERHF user experience. Links such as gaerhf.org#standing-fem... will highlight the location in red and maintain that highlight as you hover over other figures. Big picture: The spatial and temporal context of any one figure can be explored in relation to others.
I'm not going to include the "Nine Maidens" stone circle in GAERHF. It is a useful illustration of our willingness to find – to project – evocations of the human form in many contexts. No doubt a relatively recent name, which is on point. (P.s. Here's wiki page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Ma... )
October 19, 2025 at 2:06 PM
I'm not going to include the "Nine Maidens" stone circle in GAERHF. It is a useful illustration of our willingness to find – to project – evocations of the human form in many contexts. No doubt a relatively recent name, which is on point. (P.s. Here's wiki page: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Ma... )
First go at getting some Scandinavian and Icelandic "Viking Period" figures into GAERHF. 1: Female Sword Bearer from Hårby. C. 800. gaerhf.org#female-sword... #ArtHistory #GlobalArtHistory
October 16, 2025 at 2:26 PM
First go at getting some Scandinavian and Icelandic "Viking Period" figures into GAERHF. 1: Female Sword Bearer from Hårby. C. 800. gaerhf.org#female-sword... #ArtHistory #GlobalArtHistory
Overlapping conceptions of the human form from Malta and Sardinia. I don't mean that as any formal "Art Historical" statement. Just allowing for overlap in the Central Mediterranean. And beyond. 1: Bonu Ighinu Statuette from Sardiina (C. 4500 BCE) gaerhf.org#bonu-ighinu-... ... 🧵
October 12, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Overlapping conceptions of the human form from Malta and Sardinia. I don't mean that as any formal "Art Historical" statement. Just allowing for overlap in the Central Mediterranean. And beyond. 1: Bonu Ighinu Statuette from Sardiina (C. 4500 BCE) gaerhf.org#bonu-ighinu-... ... 🧵
Reposted by Global Approaches to Early Representations of the Human Figure
Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered an 11,000-year-old carved face at Karahan Tepe, offering new insight into early human expression and symbolism.
buff.ly/JbuYz8k
buff.ly/JbuYz8k
October 10, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Archaeologists in Turkey have uncovered an 11,000-year-old carved face at Karahan Tepe, offering new insight into early human expression and symbolism.
buff.ly/JbuYz8k
buff.ly/JbuYz8k
There are now 450 entries in GAERHF. So I made a video of scrolling through the "List" view. And paused to click on a few along the way. That was a bit random. This all neither here nor there yet. Much work to do! I had to compress it a bit to get under 100 mb. #GlobalAntiquity #GlobalDH gaerhf.org
October 10, 2025 at 5:37 PM
There are now 450 entries in GAERHF. So I made a video of scrolling through the "List" view. And paused to click on a few along the way. That was a bit random. This all neither here nor there yet. Much work to do! I had to compress it a bit to get under 100 mb. #GlobalAntiquity #GlobalDH gaerhf.org
GAERHF is beginning - though only that! - to capture the range and time depth of representations of human figures from the Arabian Peninsula. Here's a thread in chronological order of what's been entered so far. With more lined up... #GlobalAntiquity #Arabia
October 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
GAERHF is beginning - though only that! - to capture the range and time depth of representations of human figures from the Arabian Peninsula. Here's a thread in chronological order of what's been entered so far. With more lined up... #GlobalAntiquity #Arabia
Early Holocene human figure petroglyph from Saudi Arabia published in recent article www.nature.com/articles/s41... . Now in GAERHF at gaerhf.org#human-figure... .
October 9, 2025 at 5:49 AM
Early Holocene human figure petroglyph from Saudi Arabia published in recent article www.nature.com/articles/s41... . Now in GAERHF at gaerhf.org#human-figure... .
Many cultures produced so-called "Face Pots". And why not? Using colloquial language, a fairly natural combo. I've just added this piece from the Swat Region in Pakistan and of the "Gandhara Grave Culture". 1200 to 800 BCE. (Piece in Los Angeles, click thru for more info.) gaerhf.org#gandhara-gra...
October 4, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Many cultures produced so-called "Face Pots". And why not? Using colloquial language, a fairly natural combo. I've just added this piece from the Swat Region in Pakistan and of the "Gandhara Grave Culture". 1200 to 800 BCE. (Piece in Los Angeles, click thru for more info.) gaerhf.org#gandhara-gra...
These reactions to contemporary portraits are broadly relevant to GAERHF: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/a...
Tina Turner Sculpture Joins List of Scorned Statues
www.nytimes.com
October 1, 2025 at 5:21 PM
These reactions to contemporary portraits are broadly relevant to GAERHF: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/01/a...
Interesting job description, "Assistant Professor, Global Ancient Art, Architecture, Material Culture": arthist.net/archive/50717
Assistant Professor, Global Ancient Art, Architecture, Material Culture
Erik Thuno. Department of Art History, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, 01.09.2026, Bewerbungsschluss: 01.11.2025
arthist.net
September 29, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Interesting job description, "Assistant Professor, Global Ancient Art, Architecture, Material Culture": arthist.net/archive/50717
Bibliographic note for upcoming data entry: Aurel Rustoiu. 2012. "The Ceramic Human Head from Deta Timiş County. About the La Tène Vessels with Anthropomorphic Decoration from the Carpathian Basin" ANALELE BANATULUI, S.N., ARHEOLOGIE – ISTORIE, XX. Online at: analelebanatului.ro/en/view-arti...
September 28, 2025 at 5:22 PM
Bibliographic note for upcoming data entry: Aurel Rustoiu. 2012. "The Ceramic Human Head from Deta Timiş County. About the La Tène Vessels with Anthropomorphic Decoration from the Carpathian Basin" ANALELE BANATULUI, S.N., ARHEOLOGIE – ISTORIE, XX. Online at: analelebanatului.ro/en/view-arti...
And now pleased to have in hand a reprint of N. Morss. (1964). “Clay Figurines of the American Southwest”. Need to go through it. The plate shows possible c. 1000 BCE - 500 CE “Basket Maker II” figurines. That’s rough chronology!! Details to come??
September 4, 2025 at 9:00 PM
And now pleased to have in hand a reprint of N. Morss. (1964). “Clay Figurines of the American Southwest”. Need to go through it. The plate shows possible c. 1000 BCE - 500 CE “Basket Maker II” figurines. That’s rough chronology!! Details to come??
I can’t claim to have read every word yet, but was happy to see “The Colossal Statue of Shapur I in the Context of Sasanian Sculptures” came via ILL. Waiting for me over summer. Quick scan suggests it’s well titled. -S.
September 2, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I can’t claim to have read every word yet, but was happy to see “The Colossal Statue of Shapur I in the Context of Sasanian Sculptures” came via ILL. Waiting for me over summer. Quick scan suggests it’s well titled. -S.
10400 BCE! Yikes. How'd I cut those two characters out?!? Those 10,000 years. -S.
GAERHF isn't strong on Pre-Pottery Neolithic yet. Think Gobekli Tepe. I've wanted to ease into that well-represented period. To give it context. I've now added a bowl from Körtik Tepe (c. 400 BCE to 9250 BCE so a hint early). With an anthropomorphic figure. gaerhf.org#stone-bowl-h... More coming...
August 27, 2025 at 9:08 PM
10400 BCE! Yikes. How'd I cut those two characters out?!? Those 10,000 years. -S.
GAERHF isn't strong on Pre-Pottery Neolithic yet. Think Gobekli Tepe. I've wanted to ease into that well-represented period. To give it context. I've now added a bowl from Körtik Tepe (c. 400 BCE to 9250 BCE so a hint early). With an anthropomorphic figure. gaerhf.org#stone-bowl-h... More coming...
August 27, 2025 at 9:02 PM
GAERHF isn't strong on Pre-Pottery Neolithic yet. Think Gobekli Tepe. I've wanted to ease into that well-represented period. To give it context. I've now added a bowl from Körtik Tepe (c. 400 BCE to 9250 BCE so a hint early). With an anthropomorphic figure. gaerhf.org#stone-bowl-h... More coming...
The so-called "Redhorn Panel" from Picture Cave in Missouri (c. 10th Century CE) now in GAERHF. With a link to the Internet Archive for discussion (you may need to be logged in to see that page??). gaerhf.org#redhorn-pane... And the cluster of Adena->Hopewell->Mississippian figures is growing.
August 18, 2025 at 12:39 PM
The so-called "Redhorn Panel" from Picture Cave in Missouri (c. 10th Century CE) now in GAERHF. With a link to the Internet Archive for discussion (you may need to be logged in to see that page??). gaerhf.org#redhorn-pane... And the cluster of Adena->Hopewell->Mississippian figures is growing.
Dipping into past and recent bibliography on North American Middle Woodland (C. 200 BCE – 500 CE) figurines. E.g., 1945's "Painted Pottery Figurines from Illinois" doi.org/10.2307/275132 & 2024's "Settling down with anthropomorphic clay figurines in eastern North America" doi.org/10.3389/fhum... .
August 14, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Dipping into past and recent bibliography on North American Middle Woodland (C. 200 BCE – 500 CE) figurines. E.g., 1945's "Painted Pottery Figurines from Illinois" doi.org/10.2307/275132 & 2024's "Settling down with anthropomorphic clay figurines in eastern North America" doi.org/10.3389/fhum... .