Terracotta Female Figurine

The figurine depicts a female figure. Curly hair is shown on the head; the forehead is triangular, the eyes are round, the nose is broad, and the mouth is closed. The body is modeled with few details. The right arm is bent across the chest, while the left arm falls along the side of the body. No traces of paint are preserved.

Tomb 278 is one of the richest burials for children dating to the 6th century BC. The presence of small items of jewelry—a bronze ring, an amber bead, and an iron fibula—indicates that the burial belonged to a young girl. The grave goods are characterized by an abundance of vessels, including pyxides used to contain precious substances or objects, as well as particularly rare and valuable pieces, such as a skyphos imported from Corinth and an alabastron for oils and perfumes, produced in the Greek colonies of present-day Turkey. The presence of the figurine is exceptional within the Paladino Ovest necropolis. In general, in children’s graves this type of object is interpreted either as a toy or as a divine representation intended to protect the young deceased.