Female Votive Head

A votive female head, possibly representing a deity, wears a veil and a beaded necklace. Her hair is parted at the center and is pulled back in tight wavy locks that cover her ears. She wears a tall headdress in the form of a netted band or diadem, which is divided at the center and is rendered by numerous spherical beads. The back is unarticulated, and consists of a slab of clay that folds over the diadem to form a veil. There is a projecting collar at the bottom, acting as the supporting base for the head. A portion of the upper left part of the head and a bead from the necklace are missing, and there are cracks on the top of the head. Traces of white (pigment or encrustation?) are present all over the surface, which is covered in a beige slip.

Heads and busts were the most common type of votive sculpture and were dedicated in sanctuaries to petition or thank the gods. Votive offerings became especially prolific during times of conflict. This woman’s head is veiled in accordance with religious custom. Her elaborate jewelry—a necklace and a tall headdress in the form of a beaded diadem—may identify her as a goddess. Similar female heads have been found in religious contexts at sites in central Italy.