We can define figurines as three-dimensional works of art, typically representing living beings, which are crafted from easily portable materials such as baked clay, stone, wood, metal, and bone. They constitute small archeological finds, and are among the important materials of the excavated settlements. They offer valuable insights into the daily life, belief systems, and artistic expressions of prehistoric communities. They are generally designed in different types such as human beings, animal, and stylized forms of both. It is evident that the purposes behind producing figurines, which symbolize living beings, varied significantly. Figurines are human-made plastic works of art belonging to settled life, shaped by the influence of the natural environment in which people live. Both human-shaped and animal-shaped figurines reveal aspects of belief and sanctity. In particular, animal-shaped figurines are considered a reflection of the importance of animal husbandry as a primary economic activity. Accordingly, this study focuses on the typological classification of animal figurines unearthed in early Karaz culture excavations in Erzurum Province. Furthermore, it compares these figurines with contemporaneous examples from other regions and explores the social interactions of the Karaz culture communities. The Karaz culture, which flourished in Eastern Anatolia, is dated to the period between the Late Chalcolithic Age and Middle Bronze Age II (3500–1500 BCE), as evidenced by the excavations at Sos Höyük. Scientific excavations indicate that the earliest traces of Karaz culture settlements in the Eastern Anatolia Region were found in the Erzurum Province. Archeological research in this region began in the first half of the 20th century, revealing the earliest evidence of settled life. Data from key settlements, including Karaz Höyüğü, Pulur Höyüğü, Güzelova Höyüğü, and Sos Höyük, have enabled the identification of defining features of the Karaz culture, such as architecture and ceramics. The communities of the Karaz culture, often described as organized nomadic and semi-nomadic groups, sustained their livelihoods through animal husbandry and agriculture. Within these rural settlements, people produced tools and other items from various materials to meet their needs. Animal figurines are among these artifacts, offering significant insights into the economic and cultural practices of the Karaz communities.

The methodology adopted in this study involved a detailed typological analysis of 20 baked clay figurines from the Karaz culture, registered in the Erzurum Archeological Museum. Photographs and technical drawings of the figurines were produced and incorporated into the study. The museum records and excavation inventory data were carefully examined to establish the dating of the figurines. A comparative analysis was conducted to identify similarities with figurines from other excavation sites, while emphasizing the general characteristics of the Karaz culture baked clay animal figurines. The figurines analyzed in this study were recovered from three key sites: two examples from Pulur, five from Güzelova, and thirteen from Sos. Excavations at Pulur, located west of Erzurum, were conducted in 1960 under the direction of Hamit Zübeyr Koşay, following an invitation by Ataturk University. The excavation team included Hermann Vary and several students from Ataturk University, who participated as assistants. During these excavations, four stratigraphic building levels associated with the Karaz culture, dating to the 4th millennium BCE, were identified. The characteristics of the third building level at Pulur were determined by the stone foundation structures and hearths. At a depth of 4.8 m from the excavation’s starting point, a stylized baked clay bird figurine was uncovered beneath a hearth associated with this level. Additionally, a bull figurine, crafted from baked clay, was discovered on the fire floor within Hearth T.

Excavations at Güzelova were undertaken in 1961 and were also led by Hamit Zübeyr Koşay and Hermann Vary on behalf of Ataturk University. Among the animal figurines recovered from this site were representations of bulls, goats, birds, and other unidentified animals. A goat figurine attributed to the Karaz culture was found in the second building level. Of the two bird figurines unearthed, the first was located at a depth of 4 m during a trench excavation, while the exact context of the second specimen was not specified. Similarly, two baked clay bull figurines were recovered; the first was discovered in Pit A of the fourth building level at a depth of 6.5 m, whereas the location of the second remains undocumented. An additional unidentified terracotta animal figurine was also identified at Güzelova.

Antonio Sagona of Melbourne University conducted excavations at Sos, located approximately 24 km east of Erzurum, between 1994 and 2000. Radiocarbon dating of the site identified five stratigraphic layers, spanning from the Late Chalcolithic Age to the Middle Ages. Sos yielded most animal figurines recovered during early excavations in the Erzurum region. A total of 13 baked clay animal figurines were documented, representing rams, sheep, birds, and unidentified animals. One unidentified animal figurine was discovered near the edge of the hearth fill at the southeastern end of a structure associated with the Early Bronze Age. Two additional unidentified figurines, along with a thin baked clay crucible, were recovered from the upper section of a refuse pit that cut through a wall dated to the Late Chalcolithic Age. The ram and sheep figurines exhibit features characteristic of Karaz culture artifacts. While some figurines were recovered with precise contextual information, such as their location within the mound, others were documented in the excavation inventory sheets with only trench and level details. 

An examination of the production techniques and ware characteristics revealed that the figurines were hand-shaped from baked clay, well-fired, and demonstrated high-quality craftsmanship. Their lengths range from approximately 2.8 cm to 7 cm. The figurines are predominantly brown and gray in color, with the surface textures reflecting the natural color of the clay. The surfaces of the figurines containing sand and grit additives are often mottled due to firing. 

The figurines were classified into five typological categories: bull, ram, sheep, bird, and undefined. The bull figurines share common characteristics, including horn protrusions, plump bodies, and short, thick legs that taper into triangular forms. One bull figurine from Pulur Höyüğü is depicted in a standing position with short, stubby legs and a thick tail that is partially separated from the body. Its face extends forward, and its body is short and plump. Another bull figurine from Güzelova Höyüğü features short, triangular horns that protrude upwards from the head. Although the facial details are damaged, its short, thick legs and distinct tail taper at the tip, and the body remains plump. A third bull figurine, also from Güzelova Höyüğü, has one horn that is slightly curved and extends forward but is broken at the tip, while the other horn is missing. Its short leg taper into triangular forms, and the downward-extending tail is attached to the body. The ram figurines were all recovered from Sos Höyük. The consistent and compact style of those figurines are typified and emphasized by their distinct, curved horns and short legs, which taper at the ends. Smilarly, one sheep figurine, also from Sos Höyük, draws attention with its thick (fat) tail, which serves as its most defining feature. The bird figurines consist of one example from Pulur Höyüğü, two from Güzelova Höyüğü, and one from Sos Höyük. The characteristics of these figurines were affected by their emphasized head parts, particularly the protruding beaks. In one example, the body remains plain with minimal detailing, while in another, vertical relief lines on the back of the head appear to depict feathers. This typological and comparative analysis highlights the diversity and craftsmanship of baked clay animal figurines within the Karaz culture. These artifacts not only reflect the technical skills of their creators but also provide insights into the symbolic and functional roles of animal imagery within the cultural and economic context of the Karaz communities.

Figurines recovered within the Karaz culture area provide important information about the interactions and communication of different human communities that formed this culture in a wide area of spread, both within themselves and with other communities. Although there are inconclusive data regarding the stratification of the early period excavations in Pulur and Güzelova, the artifacts recovered from the Sos Höyük excavations have been both stratigraphically defined and have radiocarbon dating results. Accordingly, the 20 animal figurine samples discussed within the scope of the study are dated to the Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age.

The 20 animal figurines found in the Erzurum Archeological Museum show that they had an important place in the belief system of the culture. They stylized domesticated animals such as bulls, rams and sheep, as well as animals they observed in nature such as birds. Animal husbandry and agriculture constituted the main sources of income for the people of the Karaz culture, who adopted a rural life. Fertility, sustaining production and the continuity of the lineage were very important issues for the people of this culture. They must not have neglected to bless their animals, which were important to them, in their religious ceremonies. The fact that the figurines have high-quality and a mottled surface proposes the idea that they were used in religious ceremonies related to fire.

It is understood from the findings in the study that domesticated animal species such as rams, sheep and bulls had an important place in the belief system in connection with animal husbandry, which was one of the livelihoods of the people of the period. It can be interpreted that animal figurines found a place in the religious worships of the Karaz people, whose livelihood was based on cattle and sheep breeding, in connection with the cult of fertility. The pitchers-depicting the face of a bird found in the temple area in the Pulur-Sakyol Höyüğü excavations are noteworthy. The bird figure is a subject that has not been addressed much in archeological studies. There is not much evidence to say what the bird image symbolized or what it meant religiously in the Karaz society. However, it is thought that the bird images used in Paleolithic Age rock painting and on Neolithic Age temple walls mostly represented the soul and were related to the renewal of life. As a result, the similarities found among the figurines recovered within the Karaz culture distribution area revealed that animal figurines had an important place in the belief system of the human communities that formed this culture and that there was cultural interaction between them.

Baked clay animal figurines from the Karaz culture have not been collectively discussed in other publications. It is expected that the baked clay animal figurines from the Karaz culture, which are discussed and compared for the first time in this article, will lead to further studies.