A Third Dynasty Kurlan naiskos
An opened Kurlan naiskos
A Kurlan naiskos is a ceramic figurine statue made by the Kurlan civilization, vaguely similar to a Russian Matryoshka doll from Earth. A naiskos consists of a large hollow body, of which the top half can be removed to reveal several smaller figurines inside, similar in shape to the original one. Naiskoses reflected Kurlan philosophy in the sense that they believed that an individual was actually a community of individuals, each with their own voice, their own desires and their own view of the world. Ornamentation on the surface of a naiskos indicates which dynasty of the Kurlan civilization it came from. Because the Kurlan civilization died out millennia prior to the 24th century, a complete or intact naiskos is extremely rare, making these extremely valuable to collectors and archaeologists.
Captain Picard was given a complete and intact Third Dynasty Kurlan naiskos manufactured by the Master of Tarquin Hill, which was more than 12,000 years old, by Professor Richard Galen in 2369. (TNG: "The Chase") Picard was clearly moved by this gift. The naiskos would later adorn the Captain's ready room.
- One of the last scenes in Star Trek: Generations shows Picard finding his Kurlan naiskos among the wreckage of the Enterprise-D. While the scene suggests that he leaves it behind, given that the naiskos is a priceless artifact and given Picard's previously established interest in archaeology, plus the personal nature of the gift, it seems likely that he retrieves it from the wrecked ship at a later time, although this is not shown.