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The Coptic Fertility Idols

Publication at Faculty of Arts |
2012

Abstract

The long tradition of making nude female figurines from various materials in Egypt led to the creation of the Coptic bone carvings. Two typical bone figurines of unknown provenance, which we interpret as Coptic feritility idols, are deposited in a Czech private collection.

Both idols (8th-10th centuries) represent a characteristic example of folk Coptic bone carving art.