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Near Eastern Art :
Hittite Art : Syrio-Hittite Terracotta Maternity Figure
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Syrio-Hittite Terracotta Maternity Figure - P.0605
Origin: Houran, Syria
Circa: 2500
BC
to 1500
BC
Dimensions:
4" (10.2cm) high
Catalogue: V1
Collection: Near Eastern
Medium: Terracotta
$3,600.00
Location: United States
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| Description |
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The Hittite Empire emerged in central
Anatolia
from fairly humble agricultural
beginnings in the
2nd millennium BC, but by 1340 BC had
become
the dominant power in Mesopotamia. The
expansion and consolidation of the
empire saw
its greatest expression under King
Suppiluliumas
I (c. 1380 -c. 1346 BC), who oversaw the
establishment of a firm Hittite foothold
in Syria.
This was hotly contested territory, and
while the
Egyptian behemoth had swept aside most
competition, they met extremely fierce
opposition from the Hittites. This
struggle for
domination over Syria continued into the
reign of
Muwatallis (c. 1320- 1294 B.C.),
culminating in
the famous battle of Kadesh in 1299 BC.
Although Ramses II claimed a great
victory, the
result was in fact probably more
ambiguous. The
Egyptians were at a disadvantage in
terms or
provisioning, and in terms of the great
arms race
of the time over a great new invention:
iron. In
any case, the Egyptians took
considerable pains
to placate local groups, setting up
socioeconomic
and matrimonial alliances with the
Hittites and
the lands they now occupied. Although we
know
comparatively little about Hittite
civilisation, it is
perhaps significant that these shadowy
populations were such a fierce threat to
what
was then the world's greatest
civilization that
even Ramses the Great found it more
beneficial
to be their ally rather than their foe.
Older than memory, this is the great
female
deity, the goddess of fertility.
Whatever guise she
takes, her chief function is to make
fecund the
earth, men and beasts, to insure the
continuity
of life. Sometimes she fills other
roles--as a
goddess of wisdom, of love, or of war--
but her
power over the fate of mankind is
enormous.
This votive was offered centuries ago by
some
person seeking her favor and protection.
We do
not know if the goddess granted the
wishes of
the ancient life, but we feel about her
still the
aura of benevolence and mystery
- (P.0605)
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