Figurine of a Seated Drum Player

This figurine shows a cross-seated personage wearing a high and ornated headdress and several necklaces. The hair is arranged in tresses falling from the shoulders. The personage appears to be a drummer, the instrument resting on the legs. The back of the figurine is completely plain and flat.

The figurine belongs to a group of similar objects excavated at several sites, including Susa and Gurgan, in Iran, and Wasit, in modern Iraq. They are made of molded earthenware and are unglazed, and sometimes show the addition of modeled parts, such as the arms, the legs, and the drum of this figurine. Scholars have suggested that they may have been used as toys for children, decorative objects, gifts for festive occasions, or even elements added to the architectural decoration of buildings. At Wasit about four hundred such figurines were found together in a pottery workshop, which speaks to their fabrication in large numbers and their accessibility far beyond an elite group of customers.

Musicians are widely represented, some playing flutes, others beating drums. Some figurines hold a jug and a round basin, as though to serve food and drink or to wash guests’ hands. Others are depicted with both hands raised, most likely to indicate dancing. Several figurines are shown holding a small doll or baby. Many figurines, as this one, wear heavily ornamented headdresses, a seeming anomaly that is explained by their prevalent engagement in convivial activities.