Head of a Figurine with an Elaborate Headdress

This fragment shows the head of a personage with an elaborate headdress and locks of hair covering the ears. The back is completely plain and rather flat.

This object 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 arms and legs. Scholars have suggested that they may have been used as toys for children, decorative objects, gifts for festive occasions, or even decorative elements for architecture. 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.