Figurine

Around 240 BC, the distant frontier province of Parthia (present-day Turkmenistan) was overrun by a nomadic people. The advance of these invaders proved impossible to halt and the Parthian empire rapidly expanded far to the east and west. For a long time they remained formidable opponents of the Romans. This clay plaque with a human figure is very probably of Parthian origin. The head and lower legs have been lost, but its clothing is typically Parthian. The man wears a pair of pleated trousers and a tunic that also covers the arms. Another characteristic feature of these small figures is the position of the arms. The left arm points downward and is held stiffly against the body. The right arm is folded in front of the chest, holding a flower in the hand.