Artifact – Antiquity – Statue, Votive Head In Terracotta – Gallo-roman – Archaeology

Period: 1st century BC – 1st century AD. Origin: Gallo-Roman world, indigenous tradition. Provenance: Former private collection in southern France, by inheritance, acquired before 1970. Fragmentary terracotta votive head representing a stylized human face, preserved with its neck intact. The face is crudely rendered: eyes barely indicated, short and thick nose, mouth merely suggested. The forms are heavy and compact, the hair being represented by successive rolls without any attempt at naturalistic detail. The base of the neck is broken from ancient times. Description: • Material: Beige to ochre terracotta with visible inclusions • Shape: Human head with the beginning of a neck, fragmentary • Decoration: Highly schematic treatment of the face and hair • Surface: Marked old wear, natural erosion, mineral concretions, and localized ferruginous oxidation • Technical features: Hand-modeled, no fine molding, old break at the base. Use: This type of votive head was intended for deposit in rural sanctuaries, secondary places of worship, or domestic settings with a protective purpose. These offerings reflect religious practices of the Gallo-Roman world, in continuity with indigenous traditions. Condition: Fragment, consistent old wear, no modern restoration. Dimensions: • Height: 8.5 cm. All deliveries are made via DHL Express only.