Description:

Near East, Syro-Hittite, ca. 2800 to 1500 BCE. A striking, abstract pottery figure of the goddess Astarte, with a simple physical form on the lower body that becomes more complex as the body widens to the arms, shoulders, and face. Her arms touch her chest. She wears a necklace and has a stylized face that is instantly recognizable as from this period. A large, thin nose, some kind of projecting headdress/coiffure that includes a crown and a bun-like knot of hair at the back, and a pair of huge eyes made from concentric coils of pottery give it its form. The design of the eyes relates to the common motif throughout the Ancient Near East that eyes must be wide and attentive to show religious devotion. Astarte is the goddess who is also known as Ishtar in some parts of Mesopotamia, a goddess associated with femininity, motherhood, and war. Size: 1.95" W x 7.95" H (5 cm x 20.2 cm); 8.2" H (20.8 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-Richard Wagner collection, Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, collected in the 1960s

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#143613

  • Condition: Repaired and restored at waist and neck, with light overpainting to cover the repair lines. Front of one arm is lost. Nicely preserved details with light deposits on surface.

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February 21, 2019 7:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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