Ancient Near East, the Levant, Canaanite people, ca. 2nd millennium BCE. A tall, thin, lost wax cast bronze figure of a woman with a fierce face. She has deepset eyes that were probably once inlaid with a precious or semi-precious stone like turquoise, a large nose, and a headdress or coiffure that flares out to either side in flat panels with incised lines creating the impression of braids. Her neck is long and thin, atop her hourglass-shaped body. She is depicted as wearing a long skirt with a horizontal, incised-line pattern and a prominent belt and hem; otherwise she is nude, with small, round breasts high on her body. She stands on feet that are joined together atop an integrated pin that was probably included so the figure could be inserted into an altar or displayed standing in some other way. Size: 1.75" L x 1.5" W x 10.4" H (4.4 cm x 3.8 cm x 26.4 cm); 12.7" H (32.3 cm) on included custom stand.

One of her arms remains, extended forward at a ninety degree angle at the elbow, with her fist clenched as if she once held an implement of some kind. Gods from the ancient Near East, both male and female, are often depicted holding weapons and she may have once held a sacred sword.

Who is this goddess? It seems likely that she is Asherah (Ashratu). Like many of the goddess figures known from the ancient Near East, Asherah's role and attributes seem to have been complex, and the interpretations of early archaeologists have only muddied the waters of understanding them. Asherah has been variously associated with fertility, sexuality, voluptuousness, and prostitution. The Bible, in both Kings and Chronicles, warned the ancient Israelites against worshipping her because of the dangerous nature of her sexuality.

A smaller Canaanite bronze goddess sold at Christie's New York in 2012 for $13,750: http://www.christies.com/lotfinder/Lot/a-canaanite-bronze-female-deity-circa-first-5567182-details.aspx

Provenance: collection of the late Alfred E. Stendahl, Stendahl Gallery, Los Angeles, California, USA

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#126369

One arm is lost, as is any implement that may have been in the other hand. Very dark, almost black, green patina on surface. Old label is wrapped around the pin on the base. Excellent detail remaining.