Terracotta Protome of a Goddess in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, February 2008

Terracotta Protome of a Goddess
Greek, Rhodian, early 5th century BC
Probably from Camirus, Rhodes

Accession # 06.1141

This large, beautiful protome consists of a veiled head and an unarticulated expanse of neck and throat. The face is modeled in the late Archaic style with sharply cut curls, narrow eyes, and closed lips raised at corners in a smile. It is not possible to know which goddess is represented. Such masks were dedicated at sanctuaries and also placed in tombs. They have holes at the top to permit them to be hung up.

Text from the Metropolitan Museum of Art label.