Etruscan Pottery Antefix w/ Gorgon Face

Etruria, Northern Italy, ca. 6th century BCE. A wonderful pottery relief - likely an antefix - depicting an expressive visage of a mythological figure with bulging eyes, knitted brows, a wide nose with flaring nostrils, puffy cheeks, petite ears, and a mustachioed mouth, all surrounded by a beaded border. Greek and Etruscan edifices typically included roof tiles that ran along the eaves and oftentimes terminated in upright members called antefixes. Such mold-made terracotta antefixes usually took the form of heads, either of humans or mythological creatures. In addition to serving a decorative purpose, these architectural terracottas also covered and protected any exposed wooden sections of the building from the elements. Size: 5.125" W x 5.6" H (13 cm x 14.2 cm)

Provenance: private J.H. collection, Beaverton, Oregon, USA, acquired in the late 1990s; ex-Tom Cederlind collection, Portland, Oregon, USA

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#152160
Condition Report: A fragment of a larger piece. Chips to peripheries, with abrasions and softening to facial details, and encrustations within recessed areas. Nice remaining facial details.