Bidspirit auction | PHOENICIAN TERRACOTTA FEMALE FIGURE POSSIBLY

PHOENICIAN TERRACOTTA FEMALE FIGURE POSSIBLY IN A POSE OF PRAYER AND CARRYING AN OFFERING - TL TESTE - Ca. 6th - 4th century BC A sculpture representing a female deity, likely assimilated to the goddess Astarte—protector of the family and mother goddess associated with fertility, life, nature, and sexuality. As guardian of childbirth and conception, she is often depicted with a prominent abdomen. The piece belongs to a group of terracottas recovered from an underwater context in the 1950s, likely originating from Phoenician temples and representing individuals and principal activities in the form of votive figures. Size: 55 cm. Provenance: Private European collection of Ancient Art; Ex Private Spanish Collection; Previously in the Selim Haddad Collection, Beirut, 1970s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter. All items are accompanied by a European export license. Each item has been published and exhibited. A copy of the published book will be provided with each lot.