The items you are looking at are called prehistoric anthropomorphic plastic. They are typical for the cultures in the Eastern Mediterrenian and you can barely find anything like them if you go to the West. The earliest ones appeared in 9000 B.C. in the Middle East along with the evolution of agriculture.
Something peculiar about most of the figures is their asexuality. They are neither female, nor male figures. However, in nearby settlements a great variety of figures with male sexual organs were also found. This breaks down the myth that only female bodies were worshipped back in the early civilizations. The bigger hips or chests and the phallic shapes on some of the small figures in front of you all symbolize fertility.
On the third line on the left you’ll notice marble figures. The marble is typical for this region in 5000 BC. If you look close enough, one of them has a ram mask over its head. This is the earliest example of using animal masks on human faces, similarly to today’s Bulgarian kukeri traditions. The mystery goes on as we notice some of the cuts on the figures, much like resembling tattoos. Some believe they were made as rituals to separate the body from the soul.
What were the figures used for? No one knows. Some of the theories suggest that the figures were used as icons in people’s homes to protect them from evil spirits or bring luck. They all show signs of being attached to something like a stick which probably means they were hanging on the walls. Others were used as necklaces or lids for pots.
In the showcase on your right you can see a bigger box-like item. On the inside it has 16 slots and archeologists suppose it’s one of the earliest traces of gamble. Yes, gambling games may have existed in the Struma valley and northern Greece all the way back in 6000 BC!
Next to it further on the right in the same showcase you will notice jewelry made of bones, jade and seashells. The strong trade and exchange operations with the south Balkans is evident and remarkable for its time.
