Bronze Sculpture of a Goat, 1200 BCE - 700 CE
Bronze
height 20.3 cm
height 8 in
height 8 in
FZ.117
Further images
Crafted in a vigorous abstract style, this superb creature probably served a ritual purpose. The slot in his back and the hinged opening on his belly suggest that he was...
Crafted in a vigorous abstract style, this superb creature probably served a ritual purpose. The slot in his back and the hinged opening on his belly suggest that he was meant to contain something which could be retrieved at a later point, much as a modern piggy bank or ballot box might. Though his exact function remains a mystery, it is clear that an early bronze of this size and splendor was a rare and costly treasure in its own time: in our age, it is even more so.
Literature
V1, V4