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Identification and Creation

Object Number
2012.1.137
Title
Fragmentary Votive Figurine of a Warrior
Classification
Sculpture
Work Type
sculpture
Date
6th-early 5th century BCE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World, Europe, Laconia
Period
Archaic period
Culture
Greek
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/173577

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Lead
Technique
Cast
Dimensions
3.1 x 1.9 cm (1 1/4 x 3/4 in.)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Humfry Payne Collection (?-1936), England. [Galerie Gunter Puhze, Freiburg, Germany, 2001], sold; to The Alice Corinne McDaniel Collection, Department of the Classics, Harvard University (2001-2012), transfer; to the Harvard Art Museums, 2012.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Transfer from the Alice Corinne McDaniel Collection, Department of the Classics, Harvard University
Accession Year
2012
Object Number
2012.1.137
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Description
Upper part of a flat lead figurine of a warrior facing left. Only the head with crested helmet, the shield, and the thigh of one leg survive. The round shield has a star pattern inside a broad border. The plain back of the figurine suggests that it was cast in a one-sided mold.
Commentary
Small, flat figurines cast of lead were common dedications in the sanctuaries of Laconia, the territory of Sparta. Over 100,000 examples were found in the Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia alone. Different types of figurines were mass-produced in one-sided molds with a plain back. They depict a winged goddess and other deities (such as Athena), warriors, women, animals (especially deer), and various objects, such as wreaths and branches. Their ubiquity and often careless execution indicate that they were affordable for a large section of the population. They thus reflect popular beliefs and practices. They will be valuable not only for courses on ancient religion and civilization, but will also allow art historians to compare trends in representation across different media: terracotta, stone, bronze, precious metal--and lead.

Publication History

  • Melissa LaScaleia, "The Sanctuary of Artemis Orthia Revisited", Persephone (Fall 2002), Vol. 6, No. 1, 20-23

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Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu