Indus Valley Mehrgarh Pottery Fertility Idol
Similar Sale History
View More Items in Figurines & StatuettesRelated Figurines & Statuettes
More Items in Abstract Figurines & Statuettes
View MoreRecommended Decorative Objects
View MoreItem Details
Description
Central Asia, Pakistan/ Afghanistan, Mehrgarh period (pre-Indus Valley civilization), ca. 2800 to 2600 BCE. A fine fragment of a hand-built pottery female fertility figure exhibiting a abstract, avian-style face. Her head and bulb-form coiffure are covered with a thin veil, and her neck is adorned with layered necklaces that culminate in a round medallion. Bird-faced figurines like this one are found throughout the region, although their meaning is unclear - most female figures found by largely male archaeologists of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century were immediately given the title "fertility idol," but more recent interpretations suggest that these figures probably had much more nuanced and varied symbolism, perhaps representing a goddess, a matriarch, or a worshipper. Size: 0.78" L x 1.55" W x 2.02" H (2 cm x 3.9 cm x 5.1 cm); 5.35" H (13.6 cm) on included custom stand.
Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection, inherited via grandfather, who collected before 1980
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#183020
Provenance: private Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA collection, inherited via grandfather, who collected before 1980
All items legal to buy/sell under U.S. Statute covering cultural patrimony Code 2600, CHAPTER 14, and are guaranteed to be as described or your money back.
A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany all winning bids.
We ship worldwide to most countries and handle all shipping in-house for your convenience.
#183020
Condition
This is a fragment of a larger figure as shown with losses to legs, arms, and lower body. Light earthen deposits and abrasions, otherwise in great condition. Nice preservation to feminine form. Drilled through underside of torso for mounting purpose.
Buyer's Premium
- 26.5%
Indus Valley Mehrgarh Pottery Fertility Idol
Estimate $600 - $900
7 bidders are watching this item.
Shipping & Pickup Options
Item located in Louisville, CO, usSee Policy for Shipping
Local Pickup Available
Payment
Accepts seamless payments through LiveAuctioneers
Auction Curated By
Owner/Executive Director, Antiquities & Pre-Columbian Art
PhD. Art History, Director, Fine & Visual Arts
Related Searches
TOP