Ancient Near East, Anatolia (central Turkey) or northern Syria, Tell Halaf area, ca. 6500 to 4500 BCE. A rather large terracotta fertility figure depicting a seated woman with voluptuous breasts and thighs that emphasize her fruitfulness. Dark pigment striations adorn her chest, waist, and legs, and vibrant painted details remain on her face. The mother goddess was modeled in clay, dried in the sun, and then painted with patterns that may represent tattoos or jewelry. An exquisite and remarkably early example from ancient Anatolia! Custom wooden display stand included. Size: 1.625" W x 4.2" H (4.1 cm x 10.7 cm); 5" H (12.7 cm) on included custom stand.
As early as the 7th millennium BCE, cultures in the Near East began creating organized settlements with highly-developed religious as well as funerary practices. The Halaf culture of Anatolia (central Turkey) and northern Syria produced mesmerizing female figurines with fertility attributes. Whether images like these were intended to represent real, ideal, or divine women is unknown; however, scholars believe that their primary purpose was to encourage female fertility.
Provenance: private Southern California, USA collection, acquired in the 1970s to mid-1980s
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#140881
Condition
Light fading to applied pigmentation, small nicks to feet and head, and heavy white encrustations across most surfaces, otherwise intact and excellent. Nice earthen deposits and traces of pigmentation throughout.