**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Near East, Mesopotamian, Babylonian, ca. 2200 to 1550 BCE. A fine, mold-made terracotta plaque depicting a male deity, possibly Nergal, the war god of the underworld and one of the Babylonian deities mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. He stands with a bold countenance framed by a long beard and an elaborate headdress and holds a lengthy staff in one bent arm. Though faded, the staff likely represents Nergal's characteristic scimitar or mace topped by a lion's head. Size: 2.4" W x 4.3" H (6.1 cm x 10.9 cm); 5.4" H (13.7 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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#177310

Fragment of a larger piece with expected nicks, chips, and abrasions as shown. Impressive preservation of detail.