ostracon ancient art
catalogue

Judahite Head of a Pillar Figurine, 7th Century BC

Beautiful female head of a pillar figurine with sharply defined facial features. The elaborate hairdo is reminiscent of Egyptian wigs.

The woman shows beautiful almond-shaped eyes with neatly marked lids. The arched eyebrows span the entire forehead. The nose is gone, the lips are pressed to a gentle smile.

Elaborate style with much use of the modeling tool. Back side left raw.

Pillar figurines were prevalent in Judah during the First Temple period, ca. from 800 to 586 BC. They disappeared following the Babylonian conquest in 586 BC.

For a closely related head from Lachish, Israel, cf. inv. no. 1980,1214.16711 in the British Museum database.

H. 4.6 cm (1.8 in)

Ex New York collection of Robert Feuer, acquired 1970s-1980s.

780 USD