In 2003 one inventory calculated that there were at least thirty-eight examples of such Bactrian idols known. Although the number of examples inventoried since that time has increased, the total number of such Bactrian idols remains relatively small. Nine examples have been founded in southeastern Turkmenistan and two more in Pakistan. The discovery of a silver pin depicting a kaunakes-clad woman sitting on a small backed chair and of silver vessel depicting a second, similarly dressedfemalefigure,kneelingontheground,atthesiteof Gonurdepein Turkmenistansuggeststhattheoriginofsuchfiguresistobesoughtinthatarea Theelevenexamplesjustcited,althoughdiscoveredinarchaeologicalcontexts,werenotaccompaniedwithrelatedfindssufficienttodefinethenatureofthekneelingwomendepictedinthekaunakes.Althoughsomescholarsprefertoidentifyhemaselitemembersofthisearlysociety,otherscholars,notingtheircompellinmonumentality,suggestthesefemalefiguresaredepictionsofoneormoregoddesses.Indeed,theirfacesareimbuedwiththelookofdivineauthority.Theuseofdifferentcoloredstonesintheirforone’sattentioncomestoestontheirheaandface.Bactrian Composite Stone Idol LO.1293Origin:Central Asia Circa:2000BCto1800BCDimensions:4.75(12.1cm)highx3.4(8.6cm)wide Collection:Near Eastern Art Style:Bactrian Medium: Stone Condition: Very Fine

Antiquities
Ancient Near East