More interesting because its a male figure since the usual figurines are female and have always been considered quasi religiuos represntations of the Mother or Earth Goddess.
Perhaps this midden was the Stone Age equivilent of a 'bath house'???
Well, in the article, apparently there was another clay fragment that was a piece of a counterpart female figurine.
It's only logical.. hunter gatherer societies could not abide with anyone that obese on the trail.. they would hold up the entire tribe's travel regimen..
In the case of a more advanced, farming society, obesity would only be tolerated as long as it did not interfere with planting, crop/field maintenance, and harvest..
Only those that contributed in some way would be tolerated for very long..
Likewise, for the pairing couple, it is a representation of one manner of coupling, and would be used (like dolls) to demonstrate the actions necessary for mutual "gratification"..
Note that the article points out that the other figure appears to be female..
This would more logically explain many of the other cave drawings, etc.. They were simply illustrations for the education of the younger members of the tribe, coming into adulthood...
It would seem to me that privacy was a common practice during sex even in prehistoric times...
Survival for one, is a good reason for a tradition of privacy during sex.. (bad time to be discovered by a cave bear..)
Therefore, unlike the portrayals in most cave man movies, sex didn't take place in public, before the entire tribe, next to the communal campfire.. ( except, perhaps, for certain religious ceremonies )
One found someplace safe, secure, secluded, away from the kids, and the tribal jokester...
There will probably be other depictions found as time goes on, including different positions of union, and possibly even illustrations / depictions of various animals "in the act"...