The permanent exhibition of the Heraklion Archaeological Museum
Figurine of the "Poppy Goddess"
This large figurine of a female deity is also called « Goddess with raised arms » because of its stance. The figure is highly stylized, her long dress represented by a simple cylinder. She raises her arms in a gesture of prayer, salute or benediction. Her body is lifeless, without plasticity, except for the two small conical breasts and the ornament around her neck. Greater emphasis is given to the face whose striking features make it look like a mask. On her head she wears a diadem decorated with three poppies, symbols of health and euphoria. This well-preserved object belongs to a large group of figurines discovered in the sanctuary at Gazi. The group is characteristic of the Postpalatial period, when clay sculpture flourished as more precious materials were hard to obtain.
Exhibit Features
Date:
Late Bronze Age, 1350-1100 BC
Place of discovery:
Gazi
Dimensions:
height: 0,775 m
Material:
Clay
Inventory number:
ΑΕ 9305
Exhibition hole:
Hall X
Copyright:
Hellenic Ministry of Culture
Suggestive Bibliography
Ελληνική Τέχνη, Η αυγή της ελληνικής τέχνης, Αθήνα, 1994, αρ. 23 157, 319