Sumerian Pottery Standing Relief Figure of Astarte

**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamia, Sumer, ca. late 2nd to early 1st millennium BCE. A mold-formed pottery relief figure depicting Astarte, the ancient Sumerian goddess associated with fertility, sexuality, and war. Also known as Ashtoreth and Ishtar in parts of Mesopotamia, Astarte presents standing nude with delineated legs, a pair of parallel stripes laid across her waist, and clasping her hands atop her womb. Her globular breasts protrude out and are flanked by her feminine shoulders. Her delicate visage bears raised, almond-shaped eyes, a petite nose, slender lips, and ring-adorned ears, all beneath a minimalist coiffure. The relief plaque backing forms a coronal frame around her, and behind her head is a protruding bicorn element, perhaps a means of hanging the piece when displaying it in an ancient domicile. Size: 1.15" W x 4.7" H (2.9 cm x 11.9 cm); 4.875" H (12.4 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: East Coast collection, New York Gallery, New York City, New York, USA, acquired before 2010

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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.

#157101
Condition Report: Professionally repaired and restored from a few large pieces, with nearly invisible break lines, and light adhesive residue and resurfacing along new material and break lines. Chipping and losses to majority of verso as shown. Abrasions and nicks to figure, peripheries, and bicorn element behind head on verso, with softening to some finer details, and light encrustations. Great preservation to figural form of Astarte.