Figure of a small bird

A clay zoomorphic figurine representing a bird was discovered in 1957 during excavations at a Lusatian culture burial ground in Topornica (the Zamość poviat) (for more information on the archaeological site see 441/A/ML and 445/A/ML).

During the examination of the cemetery between numerous graves several relics were found, among them the described one. It is a small brown clay figurine, which, apart from the attached wings, was made from a single piece of clay.

There is an ongoing debate as to whether the found bird figurines were just toys or whether the objects performed some function during magic rituals performed at the cemetery. To this day, their purpose is not fully explained. The fact that most clay figurines of birds are found in cemeteries investigated by archaeologists, much less in settlements, may indicate that they were indeed used during ritual rites.

What is more, although the found figurine is full, there are also empty ones, which could have been used as rattles. According to some researchers, it was believed that both the figurines of birds, being an attribute of a solar deity, and the rattles chased away evil forces and took care of souls during the ritual of passing into the afterlife. Undoubtedly, neither theory can be ruled out.