BAR 34:04, Jul/Aug 2008
Interred in the precise manner of human burial, this iron figurine was found near a sacred structure in ancient Vani, a major city of Colchis (present-day Georgia). At 9.5 inches long, the figurine was designed to lie flat, apparently created for the purpose of burial. Like many of Vani’s human inhabitants, this figurine was laid to rest bedecked in ornate jewelry. The figurine’s gold earrings, neck ring and bracelets suggest that it might also have been clothed in rich garments. Although its precise use has never been determined, the evidence points to a ritual, funerary function.
The figurine’s tiny jewelry, which is reminiscent …