Ancient Central Asia, Indus Valley, Mehrgarh period, ca. 3500 to 2800 BCE. A characteristically-abstract Indus Valley female figure, positioned in a seated pose, with her hands extended outward. She boasts delineated legs, a slender waist, rounded shoulders, and ample breasts beneath an incised pectoral collar. Her elongated head displays recessed circular eyes flanking a rounded nose, thin lips, and neat bunches of hair, all beneath a tall forehead and an elegantly-draped coiffure. The figure is colored with a powdery white pigment, and areas of the hair are accentuated in dark-brown hues. Figurines like this example are found throughout the region, although their meaning is unclear - most female figures found by largely male archaeologists of the late 19th and early 20th century CE were immediately given the title of "fertility idol," but more recent interpretations suggest that these figures probably had much more nuanced and varied symbolism. For example, she may represent a goddess, a matriarch, or a worshipper. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 1.55" W x 4.3" H (3.9 cm x 10.9 cm); 4.8" H (12.2 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Richard Wagner collection, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, acquired in the 1960s
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#137002
Condition
Repaired from a few large pieces with restoration to both arms. Light abrasions to legs, body, and head, with fading to original pigmentation. Nice earthen deposits throughout.