Greek Figurine: Seated Goddess

Inv. No.: 80.007
Provenance: Greece (Rhodes or Athens)
Date: 5th century BC
Height: 89mm
Width: 37mm
 
The frontal figure of goddess, seated on a straight-sided and high-backed throne. She wears a chiton and a himation. Her hands are placed on her knees and she looks straight ahead with the himation draped around her head. The facial features are sharply defined, but there is little detail on the rest of the figure. The mouth is slightly lop-sided. The clay is orange-brown in colour and traces of red and white remain. The chiton was originally painted red. The base of the back of the throne is chipped on the right-hand side Figurines of seated women were very commonly produced in Rhodes in the fifth century. They are also the most common sort of figurine produced in Attica at that time.

Function:
Used for household, votive or funerary purposes.

Manufacture:
A mould-made figurine with a flat back.

Bibliography:
Charles Ede Catalogue, 117 (1980), 24.

Higgins, R. A., Greek Terracottas, London, Methuen, 1967, 61-63, 71-74.

Higgins, R. A., Catalogue of the Terracottas in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum, second edition, London, British Museum, 1969, I (Text), 20-21, 171-172.

Comparanda:
Higgins, R. A., Greek Terracottas, London, Methuen, 1967, Plates 24, B (Rhodian) and 30, C (Attic).

Higgins, R. A., Catalogue of the Terracottas in the Department of Greek and Roman Antiquities, British Museum, second edition, London, British Museum, 1970, I (Plates), Plates 14-23 (especially 22, 121-125) and 48, 288 (Rhodian) and Plate 88, 675 (Attic); see also Volume 1: Text (1969), 50-65, 99-100, 180.