Fashioned from fired clay, this finely sculpted terracotta piece would have originally functioned as a container, whilst simultaneously being kept and used in rituals for protection. The container depicts a crouched man with a snake - a protective symbol - wrapped around his shoulders and resting its head on one of his knees. Around the man's neck is a strand of early blue glass beads, adorning the figurative container.
An entrance hole to the hollow container features at the back of the figure, and the surface of the piece has been intricately decorated with very fine criss-cross cross hatch markings. The man's finely carved facial features exhibit a stern expression, and small fixed white glass beads have been used to represent his eyes.
Estimated Period: Mid-20th Century (Possibly Before)
Ex Private Collection, UK
H (Excluding Base): 12cm
NBN.HEO
(Click on images to enlarge)
