Chalcolithic idol; 5th–3rd century B.C.

Chalcolithic idol; 5th–3rd century B.C.
Volcanic stone.
Measurements: 7 x 3 x 2.5 cm; 4 x 4 x 4 cm (base).
Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses.

This idol, dating from the Chalcolithic period, depicts a human figure with simplified features; due to the volume of the chest and abdomen, this amulet can be identified as a female idol used in various fertility rituals.The Chalcolithic period marks this phase of prehistory (also known as the Copper Age or Eneolithic) within a specific geographic area: the Iberian Peninsula. This period corresponds to a marked increase in social complexity compared to the preceding Neolithic period, foreshadowing the subsequent changes that occurred during the Bronze and Iron Ages. Some researchers subdivide it into the Early, Middle, and Late Chalcolithic periods.