From excavation to vitrine: The afterlife of late Hellenistic bovine terracottas from Niğde Kınık Höyük

Abstract

In this article the authors present the preliminary results of the study, conservation, and display of a corpus of Hellenistic terracottas from Niğde Kınık Höyük consisting of bovine figures ranging from small protomes to medium-sized bull statues, and to close-to-life-size hoofs and chests. Images of Greek divinities attached to the bulls’ necks suggest that the corpus was pertinent to a cultic tradition related to the Olympic pantheon. The ongoing work combines data collected through excavation, scientific analysis, conservation, and museum practices to understand this unique body of material and effectively present it to academic and museum audiences.