SculptureLevantine2nd millennium BCE

Warrior with Belt

late 13th-early 12th century BCE

Description

This stylized male figure stands frontally and holds an object in his right hand. The figure wears a small conical cap with an incised line indicating the edge. He has large semicircular ears, with large central depressions, jutting out from his head. The face is rather flat. The eyes are simple incised circles with a center point, the nose is short and flat, and the mouth is a horizontal gash. The figure has a long beard and moustache, indicated by horizontal and diagonal incised lines. There is a deeper incised line around the neck under the beard, perhaps indicating the top of his garment. The figure holds his arms out away from his body. In his right hand, he holds an object that looks like a chisel with a broad flat end and a thinner, more cylindrical handle. The object is made of another piece of metal and may survive because it is partially bent, locking it in place. Another object would have been held in the perforation in the right hand, but it is now missing. Fingers are indicated on both hands by incisions. At the figure’s midsection, a broad belt is incised with irregular lines. The figure also wears a kilt or a long tunic, reaching to about his knees. Below the kilt, the legs are shown, modeled separately but with joined feet. The feet are enlarged, with ankles, heels, and toes indicated, as well as short incisions indicating the separate toes. The feet form a base, below which is a thin wedge-shaped tang, partially broken, that would have been used to secure the object upright for display. The back is flat and featureless except for the incisions of the belt.

Classification

Sculpture

Technique

Cast, lost-wax process

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Levantine

Period

Bronze Age, Late

Century

2nd millennium BCE

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics

Dimensions

11.2 cm (4 3/8 in.)

Provenance

Offered by Mr. Peter Neumann. Originally a part of his mother's collection, Mrs. Elsa Schmid Newmann. This object was given to the donor in 1954 upon graduation from Harvard of the same year.