Anthropomorphic Figure, Calatrava la Vieja, Esp.

Head of a small anthropomorphic figure made of fired clay from Calatrava la Vieja, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. Islamic almohad period (1195-1212 CE). This artifact was found in the 2008 excavations in the south-east sector of the medina, next to the western wall of the alcázar. The head consists of a small sphere of clay modeled by hand. The eyes, eyebrows and nose were made with small bands of clay. The mouth is just an incision in the fresh clay. This is a fragment of a ceramic miniature perhaps from a kind of vessel, a toy or even a whistle. To this type of pieces, quite common in the andalusian culture, are attributed ludic, symbolic and ornamental functions. Catalog No. CV 08 26 794 2. Processed and modeled from 111 photos in Reality Capture.