04 Jun Way Of Way 320

This 5500 year old female figure comes from Tell Brak, the Levant.

The figure is depicted with eyes, nose, breasts and a vagina; but no mouth.

Many related figures have been collected. They are referred to as “eye idols”, as many of them — unlike this example — only depict a figure’s eyes.

The meaning of this form we can only conjecture.

Perhaps, as it is an idol, it suggests that god can see all but cannot speak. This is the perspective of Lao Tzu who observed 3000 years later: “He who speaks does not know, he who knows does not speak.”

Alternatively, this figure suggests men haven’t much changed since antiquity, as — even today — many desire women who don’t speak.