Description:

Mesopotamia, Babylon or Sumer, ca. 2nd to 1st millennium BCE. A titillating terracotta plaque presenting an erotic scene featuring a nude couple, the male standing behind the female and engaged in lascivious behavior while the woman bends over to drink beer through a straw. Ancient documents of this period include examples of erotic poetry in which strong connections were made between alcohol and sexual activity. Clay plaques like this example were produced in southern Mesopotamia from the second millennium BCE. Their iconography typically illustrated informal activities as well as the private more intimate sides of life. Although scholars have not conclusively determined their exact purpose, most suggest that they may have had magical or religious significance. Size: 3.7" W x 5.4" H (9.4 cm x 13.7 cm); 6.7" H (17 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private New York, New York, USA collection; ex private DK collection, New York, USA, acquired in 2000s

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#155743

  • Condition: Several stable fissures to obverse, with minor nicks and abrasions to front and peripheries, and softening to some finer details, otherwise intact and very good. Nice earthen deposits throughout.

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May 21, 2020 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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