2000.353: Warrior with Belt

Identification and Creation

Object Number

2000.353

Title

Warrior with Belt

Classification

Sculpture

Work Type

sculpture

Date

late 13th-early 12th century BCE

Places

Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Asia, Levant

Period

Bronze Age, Late

Culture

Levantine

Persistent Link

https://hvrd.art/o/168929

Physical Descriptions

Medium

Bronze

Technique

Cast, lost-wax process

Dimensions

11.2 cm (4 3/8 in.)

Technical Details

Chemical Composition: ICP-MS/AAA data from sample, Bronze:
Cu, 95.35; Sn, 3.42; Pb, 0.21; Zn, 0.003; Fe, 0.15; Ni, 0.08; Ag, 0.03; Sb, 0.09; As, 0.68; Bi, less than 0.025; Co, less than 0.005; Au, less than 0.01; Cd, less than 0.001
J. Riederer

Technical Observations: The patina is a smooth black surface with reddish-brown deposits in low areas and some exposed metal on the reverse. The figure is remarkably well preserved, and there is almost no corrosion except for an even layer of black. An element is missing from the figure’s proper left hand. The tang below the base has some losses along the bottom edge. There is some porosity from casting.

The warrior is a solid lost-wax cast, and its details were created on the wax model before casting. In the figure’s proper right hand is a separate piece of metal rod, which was hammered over the top of the hand and flattened out on the underside of the hand.


Carol Snow (submitted 2002)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History

Offered by Mr. Peter Neumann. Originally a part of his mother's collection, Mrs. Elsa Schmid Newmann. This object was given to the donor in 1954 upon graduation from Harvard of the same year.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line

Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Gift of Peter G. Neumann

Accession Year

2000

Object Number

2000.353

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Contact

am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu

Permissions

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Descriptions

Description

This stylized male figure stands frontally and holds an object in his right hand. The figure wears a small conical cap with an incised line indicating the edge. He has large semicircular ears, with large central depressions, jutting out from his head. The face is rather flat. The eyes are simple incised circles with a center point, the nose is short and flat, and the mouth is a horizontal gash. The figure has a long beard and moustache, indicated by horizontal and diagonal incised lines. There is a deeper incised line around the neck under the beard, perhaps indicating the top of his garment.

The figure holds his arms out away from his body. In his right hand, he holds an object that looks like a chisel with a broad flat end and a thinner, more cylindrical handle. The object is made of another piece of metal and may survive because it is partially bent, locking it in place. Another object would have been held in the perforation in the right hand, but it is now missing. Fingers are indicated on both hands by incisions. At the figure’s midsection, a broad belt is incised with irregular lines. The figure also wears a kilt or a long tunic, reaching to about his knees. Below the kilt, the legs are shown, modeled separately but with joined feet. The feet are enlarged, with ankles, heels, and toes indicated, as well as short incisions indicating the separate toes. The feet form a base, below which is a thin wedge-shaped tang, partially broken, that would have been used to secure the object upright for display. The back is flat and featureless except for the incisions of the belt.

Subjects and Contexts

• Ancient Bronzes

Verification Level