Euphrates Syrian Pillar Figurines

However, one may find their appearance in literature with different nomenclatures: The clay figurines are completely handmade and free standing, in the fact, the name EU SPF's comes from their typical tubular bodies.

The shape of the body is concave at the base to allow them to stand, the feet can be rendered through a central protruding piece of clay in the middle of the frontal part.

[5] This production is characterized by abundant decorations directly applied on the figurine's body through strips and blobs of clay.

This production has been linked only to those sites with a strong Neo-Assyrian presence as a result of prolonged control of some urban-sized centres on the Euphrates.

[7] According to contextual data, these figurines are attested in some Middle Euphrates sites during the mature Iron Age.

EU_SPF holding a child from Karkemish. The British Museum, London (museum no. 108757).
EU SPF's headdresses decorations. Graphic B.Bolognani.
Sites with secure (black) and tentative (red) presence of SPF's and HSHR's (black) from the Middle Euphrates Valley. Graphic B.Bolognani.