Head from a Votive Statue
2nd century B.C.E.-1st century C.E.
Ancient Near Eastern
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
In antiquity, the most important people of the southern Arabian Peninsula were the Sabaeans. They settled on the southern plains late in the second or early in the first millennium B.C. By the middle of the eighth century B.C., they had gained control over the inland trade routes of southern Arabia, along which riches such as frankincense and myrrh traveled. By the fifth century B.C., they also ruled over the coastal states of the south and west. Although the rise of the kingdoms of Qataban and Himyar eclipsed Sabaean power, the rich traditions of Sabaean culture, including the carving of abstract alabaster human figures, continued.
- Maker/Artist
- Ancient Near Eastern
- Classification
- Sculpture
- Formatted Medium
- Alabaster
- Medium
- alabaster
- Locations
- Place made: South Arabia
- Dimensions
- 7 11/16 x 5 11/16 in. (19.5 x 14.4 cm)
- Accession Number
- 1996.146.2
- Credit Line
- Bequest of Mrs. Carl L. Selden
- Rights Statement
- Creative Commons-BY
- Museum Location
- This item is not on view
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