A bronze statue of a woman with a vessel on her head, Bactrian, late 3rd - early 2nd millenium B.C.Bronze sculpture of a woman with a long shawl curved around her hips, reaching just before her ankles. The shawl divided into three zones by two incisions in the lower section, the surface decorated with fine dot punctures representing a decoration or the texture of the shawl. The upper part of the body naked with two stylised breasts whose nipples are clearly set off. In the centre of the abdomen from the navel to the breast a line of hatchings arranged like fish bones, probably representing body painting or a tattoo. Around the neck a set of four necklaces, the uppermost and the lowermost decorated with a zigzag pattern. The face with eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth strikingly worked out in idiosyncratic stylisation, the hairstyle with long, strictly combed back hair gathered into a "fishtail-shaped" chignon at the nape of the neck, under which two ribbons hang between the clearly depicted shoulder blades. The right arm bent with the forearm horizontal, the fingers of the hand formed into a circle in which an object could once be inserted. The left arm reaching over the head to a double conical vessel with funnel rim, holding it with the hand above the carination on the head. The shoulder of the vessel decorated with chip carving, which leaves plastically protruding zigzag bands between the depressions. The vessel and the head are hollow. Very beautiful, dark green patina. On the back of the lower hem of the garment and the legs protruding from underneath, as well as on the side of the vessel on the head grass-green oxide layers. The feet broken off, otherwise completely intact. Preserved height 21.4 cm. Impressive and graceful bronze sculpture of the Central Asian Bronze Age.Provenance: Rhenish private collection.Condition: I - II