Near East, Syro-Hittite, ca. 2800 to 1500 BCE. A pottery figure of the goddess Astarte, with a simple physical form on the lower body and a more complex, abstract on at the arms, shoulders, and face. Her arms touch her chest. The goddess wears a necklace and has a stylized face that is instantly recognizable as from this period. A large, thin nose, some kind of projecting headdress/coiffure that hangs down to past her shoulders, and a pair of huge eyes made from concentric coils of pottery give it its form. The design of the eyes relates to the common motif throughout the Ancient Near East that eyes must be wide and attentive to show religious devotion. Astarte is the goddess who is also known as Ishtar in some parts of Mesopotamia, a goddess associated with femininity, motherhood, and war. Size: 2.45" W x 6" H (6.2 cm x 15.2 cm); 6.45" H (16.4 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Orange County, California, USA collection acquired before 2000

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#126280

Lower body has been repaired and restored, as has one end of one arm. In both cases it is difficult to see. The tip of the nose is missing.