Female Terracotta Figurine from Sybaris

Female terracotta figurine, mold-made. The figure wears a low headdress (polos) resting on a hairstyle of stylized curls. The face is strongly elongated; the eyes are almond-shaped, with eyelids defined by a fine groove and arched eyebrows. The nose is long, narrow, and pointed, while the mouth has a thin and receding lower lip. Beneath the neck, a horizontal ridge marks the beginning of the garment, and just below it the breasts are rendered in an unnatural, schematic manner. The arms are extended along the body, and the hands grasp the hind legs of two young goats, not fully preserved. The animal on the left rests against the chest, while the one on the right is positioned along the arm. The figurine preserves traces of a fine white clay slip (engobe).

The mold-made figurine comes from the area of Stombi, located about 2 km north of Parco del Cavallo, which has yielded the most numerous and significant remains of the Archaic city of Sybaris. During excavations carried out in the 1970s, a structure known as Building F was uncovered, occupying an area free of other constructions. On the southern side of the building, a concentration of votive materials was found, including this figurine, leading scholars to hypothesize a religious and cultural function for the area. The body and head of the figure were discovered during two different excavation campaigns and later reassembled. The figurine may represent a deity, possibly Artemis, goddess of the hunt.