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pair of ceramic figurines of a man and a womana ceramic sculpture of a man with a hat on his heada ceramic figurine of a man with a hat on his heada statue of a man that is sitting on a tablea ceramic figurine of a man with a hat on his heada ceramic figurine of a man with a hat on his headan image of a statue of a man with a hat on his heada statue of a man with a hat on his heada statue of a man with a hat on his head
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657 - BACTRIA-MARGIAN CULTURE (BMAC or Oxus) (present-day Turkmeni…
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Estimate €1,800 - €3,000
Sale commission
Description
BACTRIA-MARGIAN CULTURE (BMAC or Oxus) (present-day Turkmenistan / Afghanistan) – Composite seated female figure, known as the ‘Princess of Bactria’ III, Late 3rd millennium – early 2nd millennium BC Carved from white calcite, chlorite and steatite. Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 4 cm. Weight: 267 g. An exceptional composite female figure belonging to the Bactrian-Margian civilisation, also known as the Oxus civilisation, one of the most developed cultures of Central Asia during the late 3rd and early 2nd millennia BC. The sculpture is made by combining different types of stone, a distinctive feature of these celebrated Bactrian works, with the head carved from finely polished white calcite and the body and headdress crafted from chlorite or steatite. The figure depicts a high-ranking woman, traditionally identified as a princess, priestess, or possibly a female deity. The face displays the stylised features characteristic of these sculptures, with large almond-shaped eyes, a prominent nose, and a serene and timeless expression that conveys a remarkable sense of authority and monumentality. The body is oval and compact in shape, covered by an elaborate ceremonial mantle decorated with complex incised geometric motifs arranged in triangular and rhomboidal registers reminiscent of depictions of the kaunakes, the traditional ceremonial garment known in Mesopotamia and ancient Iran. These engraved decorations lend extraordinary visual richness to the surface of the piece and constitute a particularly refined variant within the well-known Bactrian composite figures. The use of different coloured stones to distinguish the face from the body follows an artistic tradition characteristic of the Oxus culture and has been interpreted by various specialists as a device intended to emphasise the symbolic or sacred nature of the figure. Although the exact meaning of these sculptures remains a subject of debate, most of the known examples come from funerary contexts, ...
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About the sale GRAND SUMMER AUCTION OF HAUTE ÉPOQUE AND PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
Auction location
Auction time 06/29/2026 at 4:00 AM
Pictures credits: Contact the Auction House
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