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April 14, 7pm: The Origins of Figurine Use at Corinth: A View from the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore (Dr. Susan Langdon, University of Missouri).
Abstract: Corinth was a leader in the production of representational terracottas, making and distributing figurines that influenced other cities across the Greek world. Yet the beginnings of the figurine tradition at the site have remained unclear, due both to scarcity of early material and to preconceived ideas of figurine development. This talk investigates the earliest production of terracotta figurines at Corinth based on current study of the Archaic material from the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore on Acrocorinth. The appearance in the seventh century of a new type of votive offering, primarily female figurines, marks a clear departure from the male-focused bronze figurines of the Geometric tradition. As a cultic assemblage, the new material from the Demeter sanctuary can be investigated in tandem with evidence from its production site in the Potters’ Quarter to understand the introduction of clay figurines as a cultural innovation, economic strategy, and revolution in votive behavior.
