Terracotta Figurines
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Shaping figurines out of clay is one of the earliest forms of sculptural design. Initially, figures were modeled freely by hand. By the 7th century BC, the technique of using molds began to spread, allowing for the reproduction of popular objects until they went out of fashion. The process begins with creating and firing the original mold at temperatures of 750-950 degrees Celsius. The negative molds are also fired. Figurines are then made from these molds and must dry until they reach a leather-hard state before they can be painted. A light coating known as engobe serves as a base for painting. During firing, water vapor escapes through a hole in the bottom or back of the figurines. At the same time, the object shrinks by about 10%. If such a figurine is used as a mold, the new negatives will be smaller than the original ones. This process results in a series of similar terracotta figurines that differ primarily in size. By comparing these sizes, a relative chronology of the figurines can be established. The collection of ancient terracotta figurines at JLU includes over 100 originals, dating from the 13th century BC to the 4th century AD. These figurines come from mainland Greece, the Aegean islands, the Apennine Peninsula, Asia Minor, the Black Sea region, and the Roman northwestern provinces (Germania and Belgica). Due to the loss of many documents during the turmoil of World War II, the date and place of origin for many items can usually only be determined through stylistic comparisons with specimens in other museums, excavation reports, and other publications. Former curator Dr. Matthias Recke rediscovered some of the collection's previously thought lost holdings and was able to attribute several objects to their origins.
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