Birth-giving Goddess
(in the shape of a toad)
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To early humans, the toad was thought to posses mysterious powers over life processes. Not only does it undergo the magical transformation from egg to tadpole to adult toad, but it also goes underground in the winter, seemingly dead, only to come back in the spring. Many figurines combine the physical traits of the toad with that of the goddess giving birth. Examples from the ancient Alps show that toad statuettes were used as protection against barrenness and to ensure safe pregnancy. Toad's meat was eaten to invoke labor pains. Early people, not understanding the process of conception, believed that the human fetus was a toad that had crawled into the womb. Made from glazed red earthenware clay, the back of this limited edition piece displays the artist's signature stamp and the LQP chop mark, 1 5/8" high.
