Bidspirit auction | CYPRIOT POTTERY FIGURE OF ASTARTE

CYPRIOT POTTERY FIGURE OF ASTARTE - Ca. 1700 - 1200 BC.A pottery figure in buff colour depicting Astarte. The figure has bird-like facial features, with big round eyes and a perforated headdress. Astarte was a prominent ancient Near Eastern goddess, originating from Phoenician and Canaanite civilisations. She was worshipped for her role in love, fertility, war and the cosmos. Typically, she was depicted as a poised and regal figure with symbolic elements like doves and ears of grain, symbolising fertility and prosperity. In some representations, she holds a shield and spear, indicating her association to warfare.Size: L:155mm / W:60mm ; 80gProvenance: Property of a London Ancient Art gallery, formerly private NYC and Tel Aviv collection, acquired 1980-2000 from F. A. , NYC. This item has been checked against the Art Loss Register database.