Italy, Etruscan culture, ca. 500 to 264 BCE. A hollow pottery foot, shown wearing a sandal with thin straps, of slender appearance and with a long big toe. The Etruscan people, similar to many ancient Mediterranean cultures, had a tradition of offering terracotta representations of everyday objects, animals, human figures like babies, and body parts at sanctuaries. After heads, the most frequently offered anatomical votives are the hands and the feet, which were often injured by people in physically active careers like soldiers or farmers - indeed, many examples of feet, although not this one, show signs of bunions or calluses. Naturally, local artisans created an industry to make and sell these votive offerings, and churned out mold-made pottery and bronze models to be sold to supplicants. Size: 6.75" L x 3" W x 7.3" H (17.1 cm x 7.6 cm x 18.5 cm)

Provenance: Ex-NYC collection

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#117759

Repaired at ankle. Losses to smaller toes as shown, with remains of a small sticker near the top of the ankle.