868 - Neo-Assyrian statuette of a ruler, carved from a variety of alabaster, with his right arm bent and resting on the hilt of a dagger, 9th century B.C.

Neo-Assyrian statuette of a ruler, carved from a variety of alabaster, with his right arm bent and resting on the hilt of a dagger, 9th century B.C. A three-dimensional fragment of a statuette depicting a ruler in a close-fitting robe with fringed borders at the ends of the short sleeves, on the hips, and diagonally across the front and back of the legs. At the top, a shoulder opening framed by a border featuring circular eyes. The right arm is held close to the body and bent in front of the abdomen, the hand grasping the hilt of a dagger with a long, triangular sheath—the very symbol of his authority. The left hand, with outstretched fingers, is extended straight downward and likewise held close to the body. A ring adorns the wrist. The feet and head are broken off. The posture, garment, and shape of the dagger show close parallels to Neo-Assyrian portraits of rulers, such as that of Salmānu-ašarēd III (859–824 BCE) at the Museum of Anatolian Civilizations in Istanbul, or of Aššur-nâṣir-apli II (883–859) from Nimrud, now in the British Museum. The head and lower end are broken off just above the feet; the surface shows isolated, minimal chipping. Mounted on a black plastic base. Preserved height: 7 cm. Height with base: 10.3 cm. CULTURAL HERITAGE! Provenance: Private collection in Northern Bavaria (estate), from the private collection of the seller’s mother, acquired by her father, H.H., from Süddeutscher Kunsthandel in the 1960s. Condition: II–III