Religion and ritual of the Cucuteni–Trypillia culture

The study of the religion and ritual of the Cucuteni-Trypillia culture has provided important insights into the early history of Europe. The Cucuteni–Trypillia culture inhabited the present-day southeastern European nations of Moldova, Romania, and Ukraine during the Neolithic and Copper Ages (c. 5500–2750 BC). It left behind many settlement ruins that contain archaeological artifacts attesting to their cultural and technological characteristics.

Religious artifacts from domestic homes and sacred sanctuaries, some intentionally buried within the sanctuary, provide evidence of the society's beliefs, rituals, and social structure. Some are clay figurines or statues, many of which archaeologists have identified as akin to fetishes or totems, and are believed to be imbued with powers that could help and protect the people who care for them. Many clay figurines have been discovered at Cucuteni–Trypillia sites, and many museums in eastern Europe host sizable collections of them. Popularly but accurately known as "goddesses", the figurines have become a recognizable visual marker of the culture.