102

102: A Tel Halaf Terracotta Mother Goddess

Currency:USD Category:Antiquities Start Price:1,000.00 USD Estimated At:2,000.00 - 3,000.00 USD
102: A Tel Halaf Terracotta Mother Goddess
Syria, Chalcolithic Period, xa. 5th Millennium BC Like many of the earliest female figurines, this woman is shown with rudimentary arms, large breasts, hips, and thighs, and no indication of lower legs or feet. Her head is small, with unrealistic facial features. The figure was modeled in clay, dried in the sun, and then painted in several colors, with patterns that may represent tattoos or jewelry. Whether images like these represented real, ideal, or divine women, their main purpose was certainly to encourage female fertility. 4-1/4"H. Compare a similar example in The Brooklyn Museum, Brooklyn NY (1990.14)

Provenance: Ex-NY Private Collection.