Neolithic sculpture in Malta

Abstract

The archaeologist in us all tends to associate our Neolithic Art with a Museum - with a building in which antiques and objects of some historical interest are kept - just as we associate with the museum fragments of ancient pottery, flint and chert tools, mummies and so on. This association unfortunately puts these art works on the same level as non-artistic products. We tend to look at the Fat Lady not as a work of art but rather as an archaeological treasure that dates back some five or six thousand years and that might represent some deity about which we know nothing or almost nothing and about which we can only speculate. It is the intention of this paper to try to bring out the artistic qualities of some examples of our Neolithic sculptural heritage and to consider these works not as museum pieces but rather as gallery exhibits. But before I start I think it would be useful to do some ground clearing which will, in good time, help us to understand better and consequently appreciate more our Neolithic sculptures. What do we mean by such terms as Palaeolithic and Neolithic? [excerpt]