Information
Ritual figure.
Hardwood covered with an earthy mixture of sacrificial substances, restorations to the right hand.
This sculpture depicts a female figure with her arms raised, a gesture that suggests calling out to the gods. It may perhaps have had a ritual function in sculptures that the Tellem people made.These sculptures were placed in caverns specifically designated as a communal shrine. The human figure is depicted with its limbs organised in blocks, assembled without any particular attention to detail. This artefact bears an archaic style that is no doubt rudimentary.
Provenance
Collection of Walter Schwab, Bern (inv. WS 426);