Ancient Near Eastern Terracottas (ANET)

Terracotta: AN1909.943

Object : Horse-rider: male

Period : Iron Age

Dimensions : H: 20.5cm. W: 6.3cm. (base).

Region : Anatolia

Find Spot : no provenance

Description : head detached from body when acquired; baked; handmodelled; coarse orange fabric with polished slip originally; head, nearly globular, has large ears, prominent eyes beneath arched brows, passing directly into a prominent straight-edged nose; mouth slightly indicated; chin damaged; wears a prominent "Phrygian" cap, depressed at the sides, with a high ridge front to back; the left arm and the right below the elbow are missing; the width and distortion of the groin indicate that it was made to be mounted as a rider; the trunk of the body is a flattened cylinder; very worn surface, but simple geometric designs in black are still evident in traces on the top and sides of the back, indicating a garment; black is also still evident on the eyes and cap rim; at the base of the back is a broad triangular patch of brown colour. Myres (1903. 399); thought this might indicate a "saddle", of which there may also be painted traces at the front. It could, however, simple indicate the groin area of the costume.

Reference : Moorey (2004) 385

Follow this link to the Anatolia Chapter of the Catalogue