Anatolian Neolithic Terracotta Head w/ TL
Ancient, Near East / Turkey, Anatolia, Neolithic / Chalcolithic, ca. 5500 to 3000 BCE. A fascinating pottery head and tubular neck, skillfully hand-made to present a round visage comprised of recessed, slit-form eyes beneath a prominent brow, a flat nose, full cheeks, and an open mouth, held in an "O" shape as though mid-chant. A pair of high-set ears are incised on either side of his head. Ancient idols like this one, that reduce the human figure to a simple collection of shapes and lines, are considered some of our oldest abstract art. They fascinate us today in part because they hint at a belief system and cosmology that we can no longer access or understand. Instead, we guess at the meaning - are they fertility charms? Representations of old gods? Were they made to be carried as apotropaic charms, or simply to be placed in tombs? These mute figures raise more questions than they answer. Size: 1.6" W x 2.1" H (4.1 cm x 5.3 cm); 3.2" H (8.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#143551
Condition Report: Fragment of a larger piece. Losses to nose, top of head, and back of neck. Expected nicks, chips, and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining detail and nice earthen deposits.
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Ancient, Near East / Turkey, Anatolia, Neolithic / Chalcolithic, ca. 5500 to 3000 BCE. A fascinating pottery head and tubular neck, skillfully hand-made to present a round visage comprised of recessed, slit-form eyes beneath a prominent brow, a flat nose, full cheeks, and an open mouth, held in an "O" shape as though mid-chant. A pair of high-set ears are incised on either side of his head. Ancient idols like this one, that reduce the human figure to a simple collection of shapes and lines, are considered some of our oldest abstract art. They fascinate us today in part because they hint at a belief system and cosmology that we can no longer access or understand. Instead, we guess at the meaning - are they fertility charms? Representations of old gods? Were they made to be carried as apotropaic charms, or simply to be placed in tombs? These mute figures raise more questions than they answer. Size: 1.6" W x 2.1" H (4.1 cm x 5.3 cm); 3.2" H (8.1 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
PLEASE NOTE: Due to recent increases of shipments being seized by Australian & German customs (even for items with pre-UNESCO provenance), we will no longer ship most antiquities and ancient Chinese art to Australia & Germany. For categories of items that are acceptable to ship to Australia or Germany, please contact us directly or work with your local customs brokerage firm.
Display stands not described as included/custom in the item description are for photography purposes only and will not be included with the item upon shipping.
#143551
Condition Report: Fragment of a larger piece. Losses to nose, top of head, and back of neck. Expected nicks, chips, and abrasions, commensurate with age. Otherwise, excellent with impressive remaining detail and nice earthen deposits.
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