SculptureSyrian18th-17th century BCE

Anthropomorphic female figurine fragment: body

1900-1700 BCE

Description

This fragment of a handmade terracotta figurine preserves the body of a nude, anthropomorphic female figure. There is a clean break (or cut?) at the neck. Short stub arms project to either side of the body. The body is “violin-shaped,” with rounded hips widening slightly. The figure’s navel is indicated by an applied pellet with a central indentation. Below this, three horizontal lines composed of incised, short vertical hatch marks, perhaps made by rouletting or by combing, indicate the figure’s pubic area. A vertical groove delineates the legs. The figurine terminates around the level of knees with a break (clean, perhaps cut). The back of the figurine is flat and undecorated, except for the groove that delineates the legs. Clay fabric: Munsell 10YR 7/4 very pale brown (at the neck break) to 7.5YR 7/3 pink (at the leg break). Small, angular brown grits and frequent small to medium voids. N.B. it is difficult to tell if the coloration at the breaks is due to the fabric color or to alterations due to previous fills or adhesives.

Classification

Sculpture

Technique

Handmade

Medium

Terracotta

Culture

Syrian

Period

Bronze Age, Middle

Century

18th-17th century BCE

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Ancient and Byzantine Art & Numismatics

Dimensions

H. 7.1 × W. 5.2 × D. 1.2 cm (2 13/16 × 2 1/16 × 1/2 in.)

Provenance

[Asfar Bros., St. George Hotel, Beirut, Lebanon (by 1964)], purchase; by Nanette B Kelekian, New York (1964-2021), bequest; to the Harvard Art Museums.