Fertility Dolls Valdivia Ecuador 3000 Bc

28 Fertility dolls or Valdivia figurines circa 3000 BC.
Around 4000–3500 BC, ancient peoples living along the coast of Ecuador produced the first representative images of the Americas. Small, solid carved stone figures, between three and five inches high, have been found at archaeological sites like Real Alto and Loma Alta. Made from calcium carbonate (which includes limestone, marble, gypsum, etc.), these tiny figurines ranged from simple floor plaques to intricately carved statuettes with clearly delineated facial features. About 500 years later, the first ceramic figurines began to appear at Real Alto. Although similar in form to their stone predecessors, these fired clay figures varied considerably in detail. They were constructed from two clay rods pressed together to form the main part of the figure, and the hair—often finely coiffed—was added as a separate capsid-like plate of clay. The figures' arms are indicated only slightly, and the legs are separated by a triangular cut. Most of the ceramic figurines appear to be female, with prominent breasts and voluptuous bodies, although some statuettes continued to display both male and female characteristics. Valdivia figurines have been found in a variety of contexts in Real Alto, from the funerals of important figures to piles of garbage on house floors. The majority of them, however, were found near hearths and food preparation areas—activities traditionally associated with women. Based on these characteristics, the figurines are most often interpreted as fertility figures, although their precise purpose remains unknown.