Female Figurine

Israelite monotheism was not fully developed during the Iron Age (1200-586 BCE). The Bible records many instances of Israelites following foreign gods. Scholars have suggested that YHWH may have had a mate, Asherah, possibly depicted in pillar figurines such as this example, and accompanied by ritual figures including birds, horses, and couches, as well as by rattles. Female pillar figurines have rarely been found in sanctuaries, but were not uncommon in homes and in graves. This particular example was discovered in a tomb at the site of Lachish, Israel. It has been suggested that all these figures may have functioned in a popular cult that operated outside of official religious spheres.