Bidspirit auction | Phoenician Limestone Herakles Melqart Wearing

Phoenician Limestone Herakles Melqart Wearing Lionskin - Circa 6th-5th century B.C. Modelled in the round, standing with lionskin mantle tied around the shoulders at the chest, with girdle to the waist and knee-length tunic; left hand resting on the handle of a club; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 1.85 kg total, 36.5 cm including stand (14 3/8 in.). From a collection acquired on the UK art market from various auction houses and collections mostly before 2000.From an important Cambridgeshire estate; thence by descent. Melqart was the Phoenician tutelary deity whose name means 'king of the city'; in the Roman interpretation, he was identified with Hercules. [No Reserve]