Votive Plaque with a Seated Mastiff
Votive Plaque with a Seated Mastiff
Like it is most often the case for contemporary terracotta examples, this small plaque was made of stamped clay, while the flat posterior part was sketchily finished.
2nd millenium B.C.
H: 12 cm
Out of stock
Product Description
Like it is most often the case for contemporary terracotta examples, this small plaque was made of stamped clay, while the flat posterior part was sketchily finished.
The dog is depicted in a very lively attitude. It sits quietly, but nevertheless pays attention to its environment: its open mouth reveals its fangs and it seems ready to bark at any intruder. It is an imposing and athletic animal, with a thick collar around its neck. Used as guard, hunting or war dogs, such mastiffs were frequently represented in Near Eastern iconography, also because they were related to Gula, the healing goddess.
A major archaeological material for the study of the Near East, these terracotta plaques feature a large range of subjects, including religious and official scenes, secular scenes that were related to the everyday lives of the believers (professional, erotic, musical scenes, etc.). They served as ex-votos dedicated in the large shrines, as well as in the religious and domestic sphere: buried near a door or a room, such plaques were supposed to protect the surroundings and its inhabitants from diseases or evil influences.
