Skip to navigation – Site map

HomeNuméros23Conferences and workshopsTerracottas in Motion: A Three-Da...

Conferences and workshops

Terracottas in Motion: A Three-Day ZOOM Colloquium

October 20-October 22, 2022.
Maya Muratov and Jaimee Uhlenbrock

Abstract

A three-day exploration of the theme of terracottas in motion was organized as a ZOOM colloquium by Maya Muratov and Jaimee Uhlenbrock under the auspices of The Association for Coroplastic Studies.

Top of page

Full text

1Motion is conventionally thought of as an act or process of change in time or across space, a dis- placement of a physical system that is measurable. Figurative terracottas, on the other hand, are inherently static, sculptural objects for which the term motion might be seen as contradictory. Yet it has been shown that the concept of motion as a physical change from one point, or moment, to another can indeed be applied to the terracottas themselves, or to their roles in given contexts. Within these parameters, focus was on terracottas that were portable objects made either as unique images, or, more commonly, in the form of mass-produced sculptures, either in-the-round, or in relief, either hand modelled, or made in molds.

2It was believed that explorations into the modalities of the broad spatial or local movement of terracottas, or the representation of active or inferred motion, could open new pathways into an understanding of the varieties of use for which this wide-spread form of sculpture played a role in the material cultures of the ancient world. This colloquium was conceived and organized by Maya Muratov and Jaimee Uhlenbrock, and was held under the auspices of The Association for Coroplastic Studies.

3Originally this was planned as a one-day event. However, the result of the call for papers was such that the colloquium was extended to cover a three-day period, mornings only. This half-day limit was intended to facilitate participation by colleagues in other time zones, especially those in Europe and the eastern Mediterranean. The event was free and open to all with preregistration. So, in total more than 110 registrations were received, although the attendance was fluid at any given time.

4The colloquium was introduced by the organizers Maya Muratov and Jaimee Uhlebrock, with Jaimee Uhlenbrock giving the opening remarks. The first paper, by Marina Albertocchi, was “A Community in Procession: A Glimpse from Terracottas.” This related the iconography of the terracottas from the so-called sanctuary of Demeter at Iassos to the the movement of ritual activity that is suggested by the architectural remains of the sanctuary. Estelle Galbois and Isabelle Hasselin Rous, in their paper “Transferts Techniques, Iconographiques, et Culturels” explored the evidence for the movement of cross-cultural influences coming from coroplasts’ workshops in Tebtynis in Egypt to those of Tarsus in south-central Turkey. Eukene Bilbao Zubiri discussed the modes of transmission of styles and motifs in “Figurines in Motion and Cultural Stakes in the Greek Poleis of the Gulf of Taranto.” Stelios Ieremias’ paper “Terracottas in Motion in the Thessalian Plain: Horse and Rider Figurines from the Archaic-Classical Settlement at Philia” concentrated on the concept of motion as it was manifest on Thessalian terracottas of horse riders and showed that they were an integral part of life and identity for Thessalians. In a similar vein, but with different emphasis, Ayça Gerçek’s paper, “Terracotta Riders of Tatarlı Höyük” showed that these images played an important role in the social and commercial life of this center. Finally, “Setting the Dolls in Motion: The Early Days of Corinthian Jointed Figures” was the means by which Susan Langdon interpreted the concept of motion in interactive figurines in the last session of the first day.

5The second day also had six papers. Serena Raffiotta looked at terracottas in motion from the perspective of the distribution of terracottas across Morgantina, Sicily, while Antonella Pautasso directed attention to the gestures, posture, and dress of terracottas of kanephoroi from Catania. Jennifer P. Moore presented the paper “The Smoking God’s Head: Experiencing Punic Incense Burners” in an attempt to contextualize the use of these objects within a ritual activity. “Moving To and Within the Cult Place. The Hellenistic Terracotta Figurines from Kharayeb (Lebanon) and Their Many Facets” was the focus of Marianna Castiglione’s paper, while Divya Kumar Dumas introduced us to conceptual terracottas from Sri Lanka in her talk “Terracotta Substitutes: Earthen Water of Sigiriya Bim.” The final paper of the session was by Sarah Graff and Stephanie Langin-Hooper who explored the possible modes of diffusion for Mesopotamian plaques of the Old Babylonian period across ancient Iraq.

6The third day of the colloquium concluded with the final six papers. The first, by Anna Reeve and Claudina Mayorga, looked at the possibilities for the actual incorporation of movement in a museum display of small-scale Cypriote figurines of musicians. Alina Sakellaropoulou argued for the movement of terracottas within a discrete area with her paper” Terracottas in the So-Called ‘Building Deposits:’ The Case of the ‘Opferstelle 13’ in Building Z of the Kerameikos. The importance of motion or movement in Phoenician-Punic travel imagery was explored by Mireia López Bertran by looking at models of boats. The latent movement that could be concealed within terracottas was discussed by Vassiliki Georgaka in her paper

7“Archaic Terracotta Artefacts from the Athenian Acropolis: Towards an Understanding of their Latent Movement.” David Mulder looked at movement through the lens of iconography in his paper “The Embrace of Mold and Clay: Image and Reproduction in Mesopotamia, ca. 2200-1700 BCE.” The final paper of the colloquium was by Aileen Ajootian, who explored the possible modalities for the transference of the iconography of Athena Parthenos by a mold taken from a metal prototype. Closing remarks were made by Maya Muratov.

Top of page

References

Electronic reference

Maya Muratov and Jaimee Uhlenbrock, Terracottas in Motion: A Three-Day ZOOM ColloquiumLes Carnets de l’ACoSt [Online], 23 | 2023, Online since 15 July 2023, connection on 20 March 2025. URL: http://journals.openedition.org/acost/3761; DOI: https://doi.org/10.4000/acost.3761

Top of page

About the authors

Maya Muratov

Adelphi University

mmuratov@adelphi.edu

Jaimee Uhlenbrock

State University of New York, New Paltz

uhlenbrj@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

By this author

Top of page

Copyright

CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

The text only may be used under licence CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. All other elements (illustrations, imported files) are “All rights reserved”, unless otherwise stated.

Top of page
Search OpenEdition Search

You will be redirected to OpenEdition Search