Iberian ex-voto from the 5th century BC.

Iberian ex-voto from the 5th century BC.
Bronze.
Provenance:
-Private collection, Mr. Pradesh, France.
-La Reine Margot, Paris, 1982. -David Ghezelbash, Paris.
Publications: Bronzes Votifs Ibériques. La Reine Margot, Paris, 1982. n°46. Exhibition poster.
Export permit in force.
Measurements: 9.8 cm (height); 12 cm (height with base).

Iberian votive offering of round bulk, cast in lost wax bronze in one piece. The votive offerings were one of the most characteristic manifestations of the Iberian culture. They are small statuettes, around 10 cm in height (the largest do not exceed 25 cm), commissioned by high-ranking personages to be offered in the sanctuaries in exchange for protection, welfare, health or prosperity. In fact, most of them have been found in the rock sanctuaries of Despeñaperros, Sierra Morena and Castellar, in Jaén, as well as in La Luz, Murcia. Although it is a very heterogeneous group, they are generally stylized images of men or women in reverential attitude, with exaggerated features or sexual organs (in the case of those related to fertility). The style is more or less schematic, with greater or lesser attention to detail.