Idols
IDOLS
The most characteristic finds of Early Bronze Age culture are marble idols. The two primary forms are anthropomorphic and schematic. The fact that they were mostly recovered from burial sites suggests that the idols were produced as burial gifts; however, the large number of idols found in Keros, some of which have been repaired, show that they were not only made for burial but used for a certain period.
Kilia Type Idols
The name Kilia comes from the first findspot, Kilya Bay, on the shores of Dardanelles. They are usually shorter than 20 cm in length and are made of marble. They have penguin-like arms on their flat body. The eyes are given as tiny protrusions on the head, which stands on a long neck. The eyes and the head deliberately point upwards. The nose and ears are shown as small protrusions, just like the eyes. The mouth is unclear. The production lasts from the Late Chalcolithic Age to the Early Bronze Age. The workshop found in Kulaksızar village, located 16 km southeast of the Akhisar district of Manisa, contains examples of stone and marble vessels and all stages of the production of Kilia-type idols.
Kusura-Type Idols
The distribution area of the idols uncovered in the excavations in Kusura, near Afyonkarahisar, is limited to Southwestern Anatolia, except for a few examples. Since this type of idol was first described by W. Lamb during the excavations carried out in Kusura, they are called the Kusura Type. The layers where these idols were found in excavations are dated to the Early Bronze Age II-III periods. Kusura idols, like other idols, were primarily located in tombs. The general features of these types are that their heads are circular, their necks are long, their bodies are rectangular, resembling a spade, and the lower part of the body is rounded. The neck thickness of these idols, made thin and flat, increases towards the body. Similar idols were found on Samos Island outside of Anatolia.
