3rd millennium BC.

Sand-colored clay with slight rootmarks visible on the surface. Female figure with a column-like body that widens downwards to form a curved base. Broad upper body with bent arms and hands placed on the chest in a gesture of prayer. A multi-row necklace around the neck, reaching down to the shoulder. The bird-like face is dominated by a protruding nose and large, disc-shaped eyes with pierced pupils give the figure an intense, penetrating gaze. The hairstyle is elaborate with a stephane over the forehead, braids rolled up spirally at the sides and a broad wave at the nape of the neck. Idols of this type were particularly common in northern Syria and served as votive offerings and household gods.

Cf.: Gisela Zahlhaas, Idole – Frühe Götterbilder und Opfergaben, Mainz 1985, Nr. 38 b, 42.

Eric Gubel, Bruno Overlaet, De Gilgamesh à Zénobie, Brussels 2007, Nr. 414 – 423.

Dimension: height: 17,7 cm, width: 6,1 cm, depth: 4,3 cm

Condition: A particularly high-quality specimen in excellent, intact condition. The slight inclination of the body to the left can be easily corrected by placing it on a flat surface.

Provenance: German private collection, acquired 1986 in the German Art Trade.