Seated female

The Halaf were a group of ancient Neolithic farmers who developed a distinctive style of pottery. Female figurines like this one are common at Halaf sites throughout Mesopotamia and Syria, although the culture flourished in the valley of the Khabur River.

This figurine is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand and lacks a head, though other similar figurines have been found with heads that have large, nose-like projections. Its thick thighs, distinctive breasts, and the placement of its hands have led archaeologists to believe that local people associated it with fertility. Hands under breasts was a common pose in fertility figurines from this region for thousands of years.

Sculpture