Limestone snake-charmer
Unknown Artist
1st half of the 6th century BCE
Medium
Limestone
Dimensions
WebPub GR 2012 Cesnola: 16 1/4 × 6 × 3 3/4 in., 6 lb. (41.3 × 15.2 × 9.5 cm, 2.7 kg)
Classification
Stone Sculpture
Culture & Period
Cypriot · Cypro-Archaic
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.2529
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the enigmatic world of ancient Cyprus with this captivating *Limestone Snake-Charmer*, a stone sculpture from the Cypro-Archaic periodfirst half of the 6th century BCE). Carved from limestone by an artist, the figure stands 16 inches tall (.3 × 15. × 9.5), depicting a man in dynamic pose, seemingly coaxing or mesmerizing snakes—an motif that evokes rituals or folklore from this vibrant Mediterranean. Created during Cyprus's Cypro-Archaic I phase, the artwork showcases the island's distinctive sculptural tradition, where limestone's soft yet durable quality enabled intricate detailin...