Western Europe, Iberia, Roman Period, ca. 206 BCE to 2nd century CE. An abstract, anthropomorphic figure of a man, standing nude, with a rounded head seemingly without hair, a tall, thin body, a prominent phallus and testes, and his arms at his sides, slightly curved, with his palms facing outward, his thumbs sticking out horizontally. His legs are together. Despite the abstract form of the rest of the body, his limbs are curved and show a naturalistic attention to the details of musculature. This statuette would have been placed into a sanctuary or temple - a change that occurred around the beginning of the later Iberian period, as prior to that votive human figures were placed into burials. This indicates a shift in belief systems, perhaps to a religious understanding where humans interacted directly with the gods rather than going through an intermediary like a priest. Bronze figures are particularly associated with the sanctuaries at Despenaperros and El Cerro de los Santos, while other sites had stone figures. Iberian figures from this period are always either very clearly male or female. Size: 1.1" W x 3.4" H (2.8 cm x 8.6 cm); 5.25" H (13.3 cm) on included custom stand.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#131355

Lower legs are lost. May have been repaired at neck, but if so, it is very well done and almost impossible to discern. Mottled dark green and brown patina over surface.