An Ancient Greek hollow-backed terracotta protome, depicting the head of a female with archaic features. The protome is mould-made, wearing a stephane and a himation pulled up over the top of her head, her face with a round chin, convex almond-shaped eyes, a large nose and slight smile. Two ancient holes on the top of the head to suspend the protome.
Supplied with a modern acrylic display stand.
 
Eastern Greek: Circa 6th-5th century BC.
 
Superb condition; complete and intact
Height 11.3 cms (4.4 ins).
Height with stand 13.5 cms (5.3 ins).
 
Provenance: Kurt Schmid, Basel, Switzerland, collected between 1950s - 1970s.
 
A protome is a type of bust used for votive purposes, made by pressing a thin layer of terracotta into a mould. These were first made in Rhodes, but from the early fifth century B.C. onwards they spread throughout Greece. Many such female protomes were dedicated in sanctuaries, especially those of goddesses like Demeter, Persephone or Aphrodite.