Lower half of a human head in the round
Unknown Artist
ca. 9th century BCE
Medium
Ivory
Dimensions
1 3/4 × 1 3/16 × 3/4 in. (4.4 × 3 × 1.95 cm)
Classification
Ivory/Bone-Sculpture
Culture & Period
Iran · Iron Age II, Hasanlu Period IV
Department
Ancient Near Eastern Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1965
Accession Number
65.163.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
This delicate ivory sculpture, titled *Lower Half of a Human Head in the*, hails from ancient Iran during the Iron Age II, specifically the Hasanlu Period IV the 9th century. Carved from elephant ivory—a rare and prized material likely imported from afar—this tiny fragment measures just 1¾ × 1⅛ × ¾ inches, showcasing the extraordinary finesse of ancient artisans working on a miniature scale. Its three-dimensional "in the round" form suggests it was designed to be viewed from multiple angles, possibly as an inlay for furniture, a handle ornament, or part of a larger composite figure. Excavated...