Description:

Greece, Hellenistic period, ca. late 4th to 2nd century BCE. A tantalizing fragment from a terracotta frieze that appears to depict a scene of lovers - a youth's head and torso are clear, as is the head and torso of a larger figure who has one arm that appears to be wrapped around the woman's shoulders and another extended towards her. In that hand, the figure holds a rooster with a delightfully large tail and crest, as if offering it as a gift. Size: 2.6" W x 3.7" H (6.6 cm x 9.4 cm); 4.45" H (11.3 cm) on included custom stand.

The rooster may represent a beloved pet or a potential sacrifice. Roosters were a popular pet for young boys in Greece. Animal gifts - especially roosters - also seem to have been common gifts from older men to younger ones. However, in the Hellenistic period, Greeks also had extensive cultural contact with the Egyptians, and in Egyptian cults roosters were a common sacrifice in rituals relating to the underworld and afterlife. Burnt chicken bones have been found at several Greek sanctuaries dedicated to the goddess Isis.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#135546

  • Condition: This piece is a fragment from a larger sculpture. The fragment is unrepaired and has nice remaining details with fine ancient deposits on the face.

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August 6, 2019 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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$300 $999 $50
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$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
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