Hiker stumbles on rare tiny bull head in Mallorca

"The head is just three centimeters (1.2 inches) long and is only miniature bull head found in Mallorca known to survive. Thanks to the diligence of the hiker who immediately notified the Consell de Mallorca of the find and handed it over to the authorities, this unique artifact will be preserved in a Mallorca museum."

"The features of the bull—ears, horns, eyes, nose—are meticulously shaped and incised in the stylized form typical of the Talaiotic Culture. Archaeologists believe it was once part of a larger sculpture or a decorative fitting."

"The wee bull head shares common design elements with and is a contemporary of the far larger bull heads of Costitx, icons of the bull's ancient totemic significance in Spain's cultural history. They are now exhibited at the National Archaeological Museum in Madrid, much to the consternation of Costitx, which has repeatedly petitioned Spain's government to return the heads to their home."

A hiker discovered a miniature bronze bull head figurine in Mallorca's Serra de Tramuntana mountains, measuring just three centimeters long. Dating between 600 and 200 B.C., it was crafted by post-Talaiotic metal artisans, descendants of the Balearic Islands' first settlers. The figurine features meticulously shaped and incised details including ears, horns, eyes, and nose in the stylized form characteristic of Talaiotic culture. Archaeologists believe it was once part of a larger sculpture or decorative fitting. The discovery gains significance alongside three life-sized bull heads from Costitx, now housed in Madrid's National Archaeological Museum, suggesting ancient bull-worship practices. The miniature head will undergo archaeological and metallurgic analysis to determine manufacturing date, techniques, and metal composition.

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