SculptureSyrian19th-17th century BCE

Anthropomorphic female figurine (modern forgery?)

2000-1600 BCE or modern

Description

A nude female figure stands on a low, square base. Incised chevron-shaped marks across the top front of the head indicate hair or a headdress; the top of the head is concave. The eyes are large and round, formed by applied circular pellets deeply indented in center with a circular, pointed tool. The nose is prominent, triangular and beak-like. No mouth is indicated. On either side of the face, three round indented pellets (formed like the eyes) represent hair (“perforated curls”?), ears, or part of a headdress. On the back of the head, hair or a headdress in the shape of a truncated crescent gives the appearance of a bobbed haircut and is decorated by short vertical incisions. The figure wears a necklace or collar that is made, in the front, of a broad applied strip incised into three tiers and decorated with short, diagonal hatch marks (alternating direction in each tier to create a chevron-like effect). On the figure’s back, this applied necklace connects to incised lines, continuing each tier as a deep “V” that turns to vertical lines reaching the waist (and the groove at back between the legs). Broad shoulders slope downwards. The arms are bent at the elbow, with hands held to breasts. On each wrist, a bracelet is indicated by incised outline and linear decoration. Fingers are sketchily incised, with five on the proper right hand and six on the proper left. A round indentation marks the navel, below which hips broaden sideways from a narrow torso. The pubic triangle is delineated by outline and filled by short, diagonal incised hatches. Legs, which taper from the hips toward the base, are marked by a deep central groove on both front and back, indicative of the forming technique (the arm and leg on each side were formed by a roll of clay; each side was joined together at the figure’s torso, with an additional piece of clay to form the head and neck joined horizontally at the level of the shoulder). On the back, there are two round indentations above the hips on the back. The buttocks are modeled. At the bottom, the legs merge into a columnar shape that broadens toward the base, though the groove separating the legs is retained at the front. From this, feet are articulated at front and on the frontal portion of the sides; they are not indicated on the back. The toes are delineated by incision, with five toes on the proper right and six on the left. The front face of the base is decorated with diagonal hatch marks, creating a chevron pattern. Technical examination has shown that the base was detached and reattached in the past; it is not clear whether the base is or is not original to the object. Munsell soil color reading: 10YR 8/1 white to 7/2 light grey.

Classification

Sculpture

Technique

Handmade

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Syrian

Period

Bronze Age, Middle

Century

19th-17th century BCE

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics

Dimensions

H. 19 x W. 6.5 x D. 4.5 cm (7 1/2 x 2 9/16 x 1 3/4 in.)

Provenance

Elsa Schmid, Rye, NY (by 1955-1970(?)), by descent; to Peter G. Neumann, Palo Alto (1970(?) -1999), gift; to the Harvard University Art Museums, 1999. 1. Elsa Schmid (b. 1897–d. 1970). This object was deposited on loan to the Fogg Art Museum (no. 11643.7) on January 10, 1955, and marked returned on September 21, 1956.