Eye idol

ca. 3700–3500 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 202
This type of figurine known as an eye idol, made of stone and having incised eyes, has been excavated at Tell Brak, where thousands were found in a building now called the Eye Temple. They were probably dedicated there as offerings. Many are incised with multiple sets of eyes, others with jewelry, and still others with representations of "children"—smaller eyes and body carved on the body of the larger idol. Wide eyes demonstrate attentiveness to the gods in much of Mesopotamian art.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Eye idol
  • Period: Middle Uruk
  • Date: ca. 3700–3500 BCE
  • Geography: Syria, Tell Brak
  • Medium: Gypsum alabaster
  • Dimensions: 2 3/16 × 1 5/16 × 5/16 in. (5.6 × 3.3 × 0.8 cm)
  • Credit Line: Gift of The Institute of Archaeology, The University of London, 1951
  • Object Number: 51.59.4
  • Curatorial Department: Ancient West Asian Art

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Eye idol - Middle Uruk - The Metropolitan Museum of Art