Karanis / Figurine / Clay (unfired)

About this Item

Record Details

Object Identifier: 0000.00.6891
Object Name: Figurine
Lot: University of Michigan excavation (Karanis) Undetermined date
Collections: Kelsey Permanent Artifact Collections
Object Type: Figurines
Materials: Clay (unfired)
Length: 9.6
Width: 4.55
Height: 11.5
Inscribed: no
Full Artifact Description: Standing horse wearing amulet with three pendants and decorative floral bands over mane and across brow from ear to ear. Mane is represented in fluid and straight strands of hair; tail is shown in regular, full length striations. Lines of neck are indicated. Features are well modeled although somewhat distorted due to slight misalignment of seams. Holds head high and thrusts out chest; sides swell to point of bloating. Tail is held erect at base and then falls to hooves. Hind and forelegs are paired off and shown in low relief as very slender hooves indicated. Forelegs are bent and raised slightly as if frozen at the moment of starting to trot. The total expression is one of swelling energy contained within a toylike body. Reddish brown clay (Muns. 5YR 5/3) molded hollow in two halves and sealed lengthwise down center. No vent. Bottoms of feet closed.
Subjects: Horse
Verbatim Date: 3rd C AD
Unit Grid Number: T01
Component/Room: 00P
Area: STC
Verbatim Provenance: Egypt
Verbatim Site: Karanis
Countermark: no
Exhibition Title: Karanis: An Egyptian Town in Roman Times; Ancient Terracottas: Lasting Impressions of the Distant Past
Exhibition Curator: Berlin, Andrea; Royer, Jacqueline; Allen, Marti Lu
Exhibition Year: 1983
Publication Title: Ancient terracottas: lasting impressions of the distant past; Die Agyptisch-Griechischen Terrakotten; De grieks-egyptische terracotta's in het Rijksmuseum van oudheden; Agyptische Terrakotten du Griechisch-Romischen und Koptischen Epoche vorzugweise aus der Oase el Faijum
Publication Author: Allen, Marti Lu; Weber, Wilhelm; van Wijngaarden, W. D.; Kaufmann, C. M.
Publication Year: 1980; 1914; 1958; 1913
Type Category: Artifact

Technical Details

Collection: Kelsey Museum of Archaeology Art & Artifact Collection
Record: 0000.00.6891
Link to this Item: https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/kelsey/x-0000.00.6891/0000_00_6891p02.tif

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Full citation: "Karanis; Figurine; Clay (unfired)." In the digital collection Kelsey Museum of Archaeology Art & Artifact Collection. https://quod.lib.umich.edu/k/kelsey/x-0000.00.6891/0000_00_6891p02.tif. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed April 17, 2024.