In Honor of International Mother’s Day

In honor of International Mother’s Day, we recall the unique terracotta hand-made figurines from the archaeological site Burilčevo, Kočani.

They represent women from prehistory, specifically from the Neolithic and Eneolithic periods, dating from the 6th to the mid-3rd millennium BC. The collection consists of artifacts from museum institutions in Macedonia. All figurines are hand-crafted and unique, once presented and revered as idols, protectresses of the home, the hearth, and the household.

Most of them are created with emphasized symbols of fertility and beauty. Adorned with various jewelry and hairstyles, they reflect an aspect of everyday life at that time—the care for beauty and attractiveness of women—which is not much different even from today’s perspective.