Roman

Limestone head of a female votary

Like the omission of a wreath for male figures, the absence of the veil could indicate a date at the end of the Hellenistic period, as proposed by Joan Connelly (“mid–late first century B.C.”). The head was turned slightly to its right. There is a fold of skin on the neck. The small mouth is closed, but the expression hints at a smile. Overall: 10 1/2 × 7 × 8 1/2 in. (26.7 × 17.8 × 21.6 cm)

Date

25 - 1 BC

Accession No.

74.51.2819

Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Provenance

Sanctuary of Golgoi-Ayios Photios

References

Cesnola, Luigi Palma di. 1885. A Descriptive Atlas of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriote Antiquities in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Vol. 1. pl. CV.683, Boston: James R. Osgood and Company.Myres, John L. 1914. Handbook of the Cesnola Collection of Antiquities from Cyprus. no. 1329, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.Connelly, Joan. 1988. Votive Sculpture of Hellenistic Cyprus. no. 52, pp. 81, 100, figs. 163-64, Nicosia, Cyprus: Department of Antiquities, Cyprus.Hermary, Antoine and Joan R. Mertens. 2013. The Cesnola Collection of Cypriot Art : Stone Sculpture. no. 206, pp. 170-71, Online Publication, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.