**First Time At Auction**

Ancient Near East, Anatolia, Early Bronze Age II, ca. 2700 to 2300 BCE. A Kusura-type - also known as violin type - marble idol of an extremely simplified anthropomorphic form. The idol is hand-carved into a thin sheet with a small circular head, conical neck, and trapezoidal body with a rounded bottom. Kusura idols come from the village of Kusura in southeastern modern-day Turkey. Votive idols like this one are known in a variety of fascinating forms throughout the pre-literate ancient world. From the truly abstract Kilia-type figures that are barely recognizable as human to the exaggerated feminine shapes of so-called "Venus" figures, people in the past, as today, had a clear desire to portray human forms and did not feel constrained by naturalism. Custom museum-quality display stand included. Size: 2.75" W x 4.125" H (7 cm x 10.5 cm); 5.25" H (13.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private Healy collection, Studio City, California, USA, acquired 1995-2015; ex-Artemis Gallery, Louisville, Colorado, USA, September 27th, 2018, lot 70c; ex-private East Coast, USA collection

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#178456

Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age, small chips to periphery of head, neck, and body, with some light roughness across most surfaces. Nice earthen deposits throughout.