Imprints of the Neolithic mind – clay stamps from the Republic of Macedonia

The presence and unusual structure of clay stamps found in Neolithic settlements often give rise to multiple interpretations to define their character. The small dimensions and specific shape of the stamps suggests that these portable objects were important in the social relations and visual communication between members within the same community and, possibly, more distant communities. The definite patterns distinguishe their function in maintaining the visual traditions of the populations inhabiting southeastern Europe. They had an important role in building the Neolithic image modularity, so that they fitted into the comprehensive decorative structure of Neolithic iconography, and the patterns present on the stamps are related to several aspects of Neolithic material culture from the Balkans and Anatolia. This homogeneity of patterns indicates that they were actively included in the transposition of cognition into visual metaphors.Glinasti pečatniki, ki jih najdemo v neolitskih naselbinah, in njihova nenavadna struktura so pogosto interpretirani na različne načine. Majhne dimenzije in značilne oblike kažejo, da so ti prenosljivi predmeti imeli pomembno vlogo v družbenih odnosih in vizualnih komunikacijah med člani iste skupine, morda pa tudi med bolj oddaljenimi skupnostmi. Njihovi očitni vzorci kažejo na njihovo pomembno vlogo pri oblikovanju neolitske vizualne kulture; njihovi vzorci so del neolitske ikonografije, ki se pojavlja v materialni kulturi od Anatolije do Balkana. Homogenost vzorcev kaže na njihovo aktivno vlogo pri oblikovanju vizualnih metafor