Female busts from the cemeteries of Trapeza in Polichni, Thessaloniki

Abstract

The female busts are a specific category of the ancient Greek art. Their first appearance is dated to the Archaic period and last till the late Hellenistic period. There were found at sanctuaries, houses and cemeteries. The female busts of Polichni are found in both cemeteries of the settlement and are dated to the 4th century B.C. Their iconography is similar to the most popular types of female busts found in Macedonia at this period. They are mainly found in female and children graves, though their number and position vary. Although most of the researchers believe that these figures represent fertility and resurrection deities, the acknowledgment of their identity is difficult because of their iconographical similarities. It is more likely that the female busts from Polichni represent a deity with chthonic character, related to the dead.