Carlotta - the museum database

A.I. 2027 :: figurine

Object description: Bull statuette with cylindrical body. Marked backbone, legs hollow with splayed base. Tail falling along right hind leg. Marked genital organs. Hole on buttock. Wide cylindrical neck with marked brisket. Triangular head with curved horns and modelled ears. Prominent eyes and modelled nose with incised nostrils and open mouth. Two snakes coiling from forelegs along neck to head. Ears and horns painted black. Eyes decorated with encircled black dot. Two crossed lines across nose. Brisket and backbone black. On forehead dotted lozenge with butterfly pattern. Along neck bordered bands with herringbone pattern. On forelegs vertical and horizontal lines. Along sides of body bands of chess-board pattern framed by parallel lines from backbone to neck. Broad, black lines along backbone. Traces of colour on snakes. Brown clay, light greenish slip.

Data elements
References (8)

Inventory number

A.I. 2027

Serie nummer

5904

Object

figurine

Object, Swedish

figur; skulptur [?]

Country - Findspot

Cyprus : Europe

Country, Swedish - Findspot

Cypern

Place - Findspot

Ajia Irini

Geographic name, alternative

Agia Irini; Ayia Irini

Material

Terracotta; Earthenware; Clay; Pottery

Material, Swedish

Terrakotta; Keramik; Lera; Keramik

Exhibitions

MMs permanent Cyprus Exhibition 1989-2005.

Motif

animal; bull

Context

Sanctuary. Square L 10. Level 91.4 (at altar).

Acquisition

SCE 1929-1930.

Time - Acquisition

1931

Description, Swedish

Figurin i terrakotta. Tjur Ajia Irini

Description

Bull statuette with cylindrical body. Marked backbone, legs hollow with splayed base. Tail falling along right hind leg. Marked genital organs. Hole on buttock. Wide cylindrical neck with marked brisket. Triangular head with curved horns and modelled ears. Prominent eyes and modelled nose with incised nostrils and open mouth. Two snakes coiling from forelegs along neck to head. Ears and horns painted black. Eyes decorated with encircled black dot. Two crossed lines across nose. Brisket and backbone black. On forehead dotted lozenge with butterfly pattern. Along neck bordered bands with herringbone pattern. On forelegs vertical and horizontal lines. Along sides of body bands of chess-board pattern framed by parallel lines from backbone to neck. Broad, black lines along backbone. Traces of colour on snakes. Brown clay, light greenish slip.

Period

C.G. III-C.A. I. (850-600 BC)

Time - Manufacturing, earliest

-850

Time - Manufacturing, latest

-600

Exhibition - Current

Cypern genom tiderna

Description: New Cypriot gallery.
The Leventis Gallery of Cypriote Antiquities
The island of Cyprus is situated in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, and this location has always made the island a crossroad of peoples, goods and ideas originating in ancient Egypt, the Levant, Mesopotamia, Anatolia and Greece.
This exhibition consists of about 1500 archaeological finds, which span more than 7000 years. They testify to an ever increasing intensification of contacts between Cyprus and the outside world, and an unusual open-mindedness towards new ideas and influences.
This not only led to a diversification of religious beliefs, but also resulted in exceptional innovative and unique works of art, that have become a true hallmark of Cyprus.
Most of the items in the exhibition were brought to light at the many sites excavated by the Swedish Cyprus Expedition between 1927 and 1931. The background to the
Swedish Cyprus Expedition is told in the study corner adjacent to the museum café: The A.G. Leventis Gallery of Cypriote Antiquities: the Mezzanine Floor.
In accordance with the practice of the time, the excavation finds were subsequently divided between Sweden and Cyprus with permission from the British colonial
government. (www.medelhavmuseet.se, 2010-09-01)
Time - Start: 2009-01-302009-01-30 [?]

Exhibition, Part of - Current

Exhibition; showcase 10:08:08.

Exhibition - Previously

Cypernutställningen, 1989-2004

Description: The Cyprus Exhibition, 1989-2004.The%20Cyprus%20Exhibition%2C%201989-2004.
Time - Start: 19891989
Time - End: 20042004

Event - Was Present At

Swedish Cyprus Expedition (1927-1931)

Description: The Swedish Cyprus Expedition was a project to systematically investigate the archaeology of the entire early history of Cyprus. It took place between September 1927 and March 1931 and was led by three archaeologists: Einar Gjerstad, Erik Sjöqvist and Alfred Westholm together with architect John Lindros.
Archaeological excavations were made at locations all over Cyprus including Lapithos, Nitovikla, Ajia Irini and Enkomi. The results were published in four volumes from 1934 to 1972. Most of the finds are now kept at the Cyprus Museum; Nicosia and Medelhavsmuseet, Stockholm.
In the early 1970s Paul Åström from the University of Gothenburg continued the tradition of the Swedish Cyprus Expedition with his excavations at the ancient city of Hala Sultan Tekke / Dromolaxia-Vizatzia near Larnaca. He concentrated mainly on the investigation of the late history of the city, viz. the later part of Late Cypriote period (Late Bronze Age). After the untimely death of Paul Åström, Peter M. Fischer from the same university received the permission by the Department of Antiquities (2009) to continue the excavations there (2010). The main objective of the first season of the renewed excavations is to investigate the earliest history of the city which seems to have its roots in the Middle Cypriote period (Middle Bronze Age). (wikipedia, 2012-04-23)
Source - http: swedishcyprusexpedition.se, collections.smvk.se, sv.wikipedia.org, en.wikipedia.org

Event, part of - Was Present At

Ajia Irini - Swedish Cyprus Expedition (1929-1931)

Comments

Type 5, period 3 (SCE II, pl CCXXV:3).

Synad. Ok.

Ställs ut.

Keyword

ceramics

NegNo

3318D

Publications

- Karageorghis et al., 2003, no. 185.

- SCE II, 749, 784, pl CCXXV:3.

- MedMusM 2, 1977, 40, pl XXIV:1.

- Gjerstad, E, ‘Supplementary Notes on Finds from Ajia Irini in Cyprus’, MedMusBull 3, 1963, p 7, 33, fig 5.

-Karageorghis, V, The Coroplastic Art of Ancient Cyprus II. Late Cypriote II-Cypro-Geometric III, Nicosia 1993, cat. no. I 3, pl 20:3.

- Karageorghis, V, The Coroplastic Art of Ancient Cyprus. II. Late Cypriote II-Cypro-Geometric III, Nicosia 1993, p 93, (no 1), pl XLII:1.

- Sophocleous, S, Atlas des Représentations Chypro-Archaiques des Divinités, Göteborg 1985, pl III:1.

PhotoNegNo

3318D-3322D, 7013D-7014D. MMneg (?) 2086.

Reference - Published in

Gjerstad, Einar (red.) (1935). The Swedish Cyprus expedition: finds and results of the excavation in Cyprus 1927-1931. Vol. 2

Source - http: libris.kb.se, archive.org

Karageorghis, Vassos, Styrenius, Carl-Gustaf & Winbladh, Marie-Louise (1977). Cypriote antiquities in the Medelhavsmuseet, Memoir 2

Source - http: libris.kb.se, books.google.se

Medelhavsmuseet (2003). The Cyprus collections in the Medelhavsmuseet

Source - http: books.google.se, libris.kb.se

Temporary exhibition

Expeditionen urval A.I.

Length / Längd

26,5 cm

Dimensions

L. 26.5.

Condition

Ends of horns, left ear, and parts of snakes missing, broken in pieces - mended. Decoration much faded.

Original register

Cyprus

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A.I. 2027 :: figurine

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