Terracotta statuette of woman with bird face
Unknown Artist
ca. 1450–1200 BCE
Medium
Terracotta
Dimensions
H. 5 3/16 in. (13.21 cm)
Classification
Terracottas
Culture & Period
Cypriot · Late Cypriot II
Department
Greek and Roman Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Cesnola Collection, Purchased by subscription, 1874–76
Accession Number
74.51.1545
Tags
Art Historical Context
This enchanting terracotta statuette, to the Late Cypriot II period (ca. 1450–1200 BCE), hails from ancient Cyprus during the Late Bronze Age—a time of thriving maritime trade and cultural exchanges with the Aegean and Near East. Standing just 5 3/16 inches (13.21 cm) tall, it a woman with a striking bird-like face, her stylized features blending human and avian traits in a compact, hand-modeled form. Crafted from fired clay, a common medium for Cypriot votive offerings, this piece exemplifies the island's distinctive terracotta tradition, where small figurines were mass-produced for rituals. ...