Seated figure with tripartite crown

Accession Number
1960/1.134

Title
Seated figure with tripartite crown

Artist(s)
Iranian

Artist Nationality
Iranian

Object Creation Date
10th century

Medium & Support
terracotta

Dimensions
4 3/4 in. x 2 3/4 in. x 2 3/8 in. ( 12 cm x 7 cm x 6 cm )

Credit Line
Museum Purchase

Subject matter
Similar figurines have been found at the excavations at Wasit, published by F. Safar. They were discovered in the Ilkhanid levels of Sounding No. 5; the clay is fine-grained, buff or slightly pink. 

The figurines represent various personanages: musicians, dancers, etc. The entire hoard seems to have belonged to a toy-shop and were probably banat, used in some game, the theme of which was the banquet.
 

Physical Description
The moulded head of the terracotta figurine represents a royal personnage. He wears a three-lobed crown, spherical earrings, and a necklace. He is seated with his legs bent from the hips at right angles to the upper part of the body. The legs are crossed and thus form a circular base which allows the essentially two-dimensional figure to remain erect. The assembling of the limbs was apparently done after the figurine had been cast.

Primary Object Classification
Ceramic

Primary Object Type
figure

Additional Object Classification(s)
Ceramic

Collection Area
Western

Rights
If you are interested in using an image for a publication, please visit http://umma.umich.edu/request-image for more information and to fill out the online Image Rights and Reproductions Request Form. Keywords
Iranian
Iraqi Islamic
Islamic (culture or style)
Seljuk
Seljuk pottery styles
figures (representations)
sitting
terracotta (clay material)
terracottas (sculptural works)

4 Related Resources

Arts from Persia and Iran
(Part of: Ancient and Classical Civilizations)
Before 1492
(Part of 3 Learning Collections)
Youth and Sexuality in the Middle East
(Part of: 2019 Summer Study Sets)
Cabinet I: Shelf 3
(Part of: Albertine Monroe-Brown Study-Storage Gallery)

& Author Notes

Web Use Permitted

On display

UMMA Gallery Location ➜ AMH, 2nd floor ➜ 205 (Albertine Monroe-Brown Study-Storage Gallery) ➜ Cabinet I ➜ Shelf 3