Shield bearer, Archaic II Cypriot statue — Shield bearer, Archaic II Cypriot, c. 600–480 BC. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 74.51.1654.Open Access by the MET

Archaic II

Shield bearer

The cylindrical body, flaring at the bottom, is handmade and solid. His right forearm is missing. Military representations were popular in the Cypro-Archaic period. During the seventh and sixth centuries B.C., foreign soldeirs were present on Cyprus. Cypriots also served as mercenaries in foreign armies. Contemporaneous Assyrian art often depicted military themes. H. 6 9/16 in. (16.7 cm)

Classification

Object type: Terracotta figurine
Material: Clay
Period: Iron AgeCypro-ArchaicCypro-Archaic II
Date: 600 - 480 BC
Findspot: Idalion

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Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art

Provenance

From CyprusSaid to be from Idalion

References

Cesnola, Luigi Palma di. 1894. A Descriptive Atlas of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriote Antiquities in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Vol. 2. pl. XXXI.258, Boston: James R. Osgood and Company.Metropolitan Museum of Art. 1895. The Terracottas and Pottery of the Cesnola Collection of Cypriote Antiquities in Halls 4 and 15. no. 192, p. 18, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.Myres, John L. 1914. Handbook of the Cesnola Collection of Antiquities from Cyprus. no. 2101, p. 344, New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.Karageorghis, Vassos, Gloria Merker, and Joan R. Mertens. 2016. The Cesnola Collection of Cypriot Art : Terracottas. no. 125, pp. 76, 257, Online Publication, [CD-Rom 2004], New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Identifiers

Accession no.: 74.51.1654, Metropolitan Museum of Art
In catalogues: Myres 1914, no. 2101
Karageorghis 2016, no. 125

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