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Terracotta statuette of a siren

ca. 550–500 BCE
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 152
Sirens are mythical creatures famous in antiquity for their song, which lured sailors to their death. Sanctuaries to the sirens are known to have existed in parts of South Italy and Sicily, as the geographer Strabo and other ancient writers tell us. This large, hand-modeled sculpture with applied decoration may well have been a votive offering at such a sanctuary.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Terracotta statuette of a siren
  • Period: Archaic
  • Date: ca. 550–500 BCE
  • Culture: Greek
  • Medium: Terracotta
  • Dimensions: Overall: 8 1/4 x 9 1/2 x 5in. (21 x 24.1 x 12.7cm)
  • Classification: Terracottas
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Renée E. and Robert A. Belfer Gift, 2000
  • Object Number: 2000.276
  • Curatorial Department: Greek and Roman Art

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Terracotta head of a woman, probably a sphinx
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Terracotta funerary plaque, Terracotta, Greek, Attic
Terracotta funerary plaque
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ca. 520–510 BCE
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