A mysterious token from the dawn of Western civilization, this stone votive was offered thousands of years ago at the shrine of a powerful god. With a cache of related artifacts, it was discovered along the shores of Lake Van. The deity whose favor it sought was apparently a nature god, associated also with fertility and rebirth. This superb statue depicts a reclining votary confronting the head of a bird that springs from the opposite end of the sculpture. In this ancient cult, the bird seems associated with the idea of the soul, perhaps a transformation in the afterlife. The image engraved on the bottom of the votive depicts a seated idol. Pressed into soft wax or clay, it would have produced multiple images to please the heavens. The effect of this rare sculpture is powerful and haunting. It touches a chord deep in the soul, something ancient but not completely forgotten. - (D.0171)Man/Bird Votive Figure With An Intaglio - D.0171Origin: Lake Van, Anatolia Circa: 4000 BC to 3000 BCDimensions: 1" (2.5cm) high x 2.25" (5.7cm) wide Collection: Near Eastern Style: Neolithic Medium: Dickite

Antiquities
Ancient Near East