Ivory plaque with a seated woman in relief
Find spot: Citadel of Mycenae, Argolis, near the modern village of Mykines.
Date: 15th-14th c. BC
Clothing depicted: heanos, wrap skirt, assorted jewelry, estheta (shawl)
Museum link: https://www.namuseum.gr/en/ monthly_artefact/the-lady-of-the-rocks/
National Archaeological Museum in Athens
Collection of Prehistoric Antiquities, inv. no. Π 5897
From the museum link:
“The goddess is dressed in the typical Aegean costume with the tight short-sleeved vest that emphasizes her full breasts and thin waist, and the long, flounced skirt that embraces her richly curved body and reaches the ankles, exposing her bare feet. The loose girdle or double ribbon around her waist belongs to a type known from clay and ivory female figurines.”
The “Lady of the rocks” is actually an ivory plaque carved in high relief, rather than a fully three-dimensional, freestanding statue carved in the round.
The back of the piece is flat and uncarved because it was originally designed to be attached as a decorative inlay onto a larger luxury object, such as a wooden box, chest, or a piece of palatial furniture.
