June 2015

This small terracotta figure is known as the “Orellut”. It was found in Lucentum (Tossal de Manises, Alicante), and is one of the emblems of the site. It is also an icon of the Archaeological Museum of Alicante-MARQ. The figure was discovered during excavations in 1967. It was found embedded in an Augustan period wall, near the “Eastern Gate”, which indicates that it dates before, maybe the 3rd century BC.

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The figure is hollow and represents a male head, somewhat roughly sculpted. It has a smooth neck and an oval shaped face. The short and straight fringe is emphasised and has small incised strokes and two small central curls. However, besides the large almond shaped eyes, the most prominent and unusual aspect of this figure is its overly large sized ears, which are irregularly placed.

The figure is mostly likely a natively produced piece of work, though it has many parallels in other parts of the ancient Mediterranean, in particular various heads or busts from the Punic world. Good examples of these have been found in Ibiza. The most characteristic Semitic traits identified in these terracotta figures are the large ears, which have been pierced to wear metal earrings, and certain aspects of their hairstyles.

Similar objects have also been found in the Ancient Iberian Culture. This indicates that these are pieces of craftwork, which adopted and interpreted elements of Punic coroplasty. These objects have been found in temples, as well as in domestic shrines and natural spaces. They are generally interpreted as ex-votos. The image of individual worshippers, like the “Orellut”, represent their communication with the gods. Their attentive or listening demeanour is reflected by the disproportionate size of some of their features, such as the eyes or the ears.