Mycenaean Psi Idol

Culture: Mycenaean

Period: 13th century B.C.

Material: Terracotta

Dimensions: 11.8 cm high

Price: Sold

Ref: 2218

Provenance: From the famous Swiss antiquities collection of Hans Erlenmeyer (1900-1967). Sotheby’s London, 9 July 1990, lot 27. Thence Italian private collection. Pandolfini auction, 27 October 2009, lot 231. Last in the German collection A. M., Leipzig. With Italian export papers!

Condition: A small, possibly already ancient chip on the nose. Completely intact except for some color flakings, especially on the front.

Description: Stylized idol of a female worshipper which is named due to its form after the Greek letter Ψ (Psi). The bird-like head with long, semi-circular nose and disc-like polos with painted spiral pattern. The flat upper body with upwards raised arms on the sides with the Epiphany gesture . The upper body merges into an also stylized, very slender and cylindrical lower body which opens up to a base ring towards the foot. The very well preserved dark brown paint is full of details, the eyes are dotted and fluted, a spiral is painted on the polos. On the foot base a horizontal dividing line. The ring foot is also with extensive decoration.