Since people have asked me to discuss a little more about my xenoarchaeological/art history pieces, here’s some information regarding this one, since people have responded well to it! Pretty much all headcanons here are mine unless otherwise stated.
This piece in particular didn’t require much research, as it was simple in ideation and execution. The most glaring influence here would be Sumerian votive figures, which I’ve modified by also observing pieces like the Woman of Willendorf and other early fertility figures. In general, for art created by Vortiy* I tend to research artworks from the cradles of civilization.
Like Ancient Greek statues, these figures would’ve been painted with bright hues using pigment derived from plants.
*Vortiy is a term used to describe the common ancestor of modern Vorta. The name is derived from @dominionese-resource ‘s dictionary, and translates to “non-people”. As established in Treachery, Faith, and the Great River, it is the belief of Vorta that their early ancestors were literal animals. Something about this idea of the transformation from apes -> fully sentient beings never sat right with me, considering the other lies presented in the same episode.
In early Founders religion, it was believed that they were non-people because they had not been imbued with genetic enhancements by the Founders. The early modern period of the Dominion began with Changeling contact on the planet, where they would transform themselves from the Hunted to Gods, promising Vortiy that they would one day be given these gifts. I could go on an entire tangent about this subject, but I’ll leave it here.
The artist of these pieces within the narrative is unknown, but maybe one day I’ll get around to introducing them.
Following the Dominion-Cardassian alliance, the Dominion granted access to a charter fleet to explore the Gamma Quadrant prior to 2374. Among these was an anthropological expedition, its most notable figure being Dr. Cheyvak from Cardassia’s Art Institute. While conducting fieldwork on Kurrill Prime, he discovered the existence of an ancient Vortiy city.
As a member of the Cardassian Culture Chamber that destroyed Bajoran artworks throughout the 2350s, Cheyvak was obliged to destroy the figures by the Founders. All evidence that was discovered of artistic inclination by Vorta was demolished, save for three of the most complete statuettes.
In 2373, Dr. Cheyvak sent a package containing the figures to a disgraced Professor Lukteld to his home in Dahkur. The two men had met two years before, when Lukteld had uncovered Cheyvak’s plot to sell a faked Orb of Creation to the government of Bajor. The package also contained a letter, the contents of which are unknown to the public.
The statuettes would remain in Lukteld’s possession until the end of the war.
