Hello, I am new to the site, having stumbled across it through some googling of "Warka Vase", and was delighted to find such a large, friendly and intelligent community of people with an interest in early/ancient history. I am no scholar/academician of any sort, just an average guy who has had an ongoing fascination with history, particularly the roots of technology, myth, and custom, the "turning points" in the cultures and peoples of the world.
Here's a sample of an idea that's bothered me for a bit; perhaps this has been addressed long ago, but in my ignorant state I'll pose it here- I've read various theories as to the tapered heads and "coffee-bean" eyes of the "reptilian" Al-Ubaid figurines, but for the moment casting aside the cowrie-shell eyes of the Jericho skulls, or skull-binding comparisions, is it too simplistic that the eyes simply denote kindliness, and the tapered heads merely providing an easier surface upon which to tie/attach a wig of hair? Perhaps this is ridiculous, but the thought occured to me.
Anyway, I'm happy to be here, and I promise I'm not always so long-winded ;)