NEOLITHIC URFA GIRL
Neolithic Girl with a Bang- Urfa Muse——I’m sure she would appreciate my attempt to show her as she was in life. I’ve seen noses like this in Cappadocia——Sanliurfa Museum
WEATHERED BYZANTINE
In the Neolithic section but looks to me like a Byzantine left out in the weather——Sanliurfa Museum
URFA GRIN & BABY
Neolithic Sumerian characters – Sanliurfa Museum – Balikligöl Statue c9500 BC——-The gent with obsidian eyes at right is one of a few contenders for “World’s Oldest Statue.” Next to him is a curious little sculpture. I incorporated this image into an art lesson. My student, a talented 8-year-old from China, said, “It looks like a baby.” With fins at the back. The grinning cougar head is one of many seen all over the region.
STONE AGE TOTEMS
Neolithic delights in Urfa’s museum – Lion – Person-Bird-Conglomerate Totem – Birth (?) Totem – Sheep (?) Lamp—— This last looks like the family dog. In the Archeological Museum at Sanliurfa.
G O B E K L I T E P E
THE VULTURE STONE
-Tiny bone plaque showing T-shaped figures – Vulture – Cygnus Constellation (We know it as The Swan) – Headless Man [with erection] – The Farmer Discoverer & the Vulture Stone Pillar 43 – First artifact found at Gobeklitepe – Father Stone – Mother Stone——The farmer who owned the onion field over Gobekli Tepe gave it to the government of Turkey, after archeologist Klaus Schmidt vindicated his excitement at the carved rocks he’d found, things the earth pushed up from the world’s oldest temple. Now the farmer likes to hang out at the Visitors Center there, looking prosperous and happy in new shalvar.