Faces & Figures

I found this little two inch stone on the weekend. I chose to feature it this week because I wanted one that would be quick to post. It was only in the middle of photographing it that I discovered that it could stand up on its own and featured a series of figures in it. My camera doesn't really do it justice, but they're intriguing.

One of the most interesting is one that appears to be two figures embracing. The figure on the left has googly-eyes; the one of the right appears to be kissing the other figure and has great big lips. Between them, there appears to be a smaller figure. The figure on the right has an arm around it. I suspect it might be a depiction of a family--with the father on the left; mother on the right; and a child between them--but that's just my guess. There is a comic, almost affectionate element to it.

There are other images in it, including a rabbit head, but I'm most enamoured with the figures. They were so unexpected and I'm at a loss to know how the artist managed to create something so intricate. What kind of tools were they using? It makes me realize that early human beings weren't as "primitive" as we've been led to believe.