The vast geographical area of the Ancient Near East reaches from the Mediterranean’s eastern shores to India, and the artefacts in our collection span more than 5000 years (from about 5300 BC to AD 300).
Many items originate in the region often referred to as Mesopotamia, today this encompasses modern Iraq, Kuwait, north-east Syria, south-east Turkey and south-west Iran.
Hundreds of these little figurines were found in a monumental building known as the 'Eye Temple' in Tell Brak, north-eastern Syria.
The large number found and their size suggests that they were left in the temple as votives (gifts to the gods), perhaps representing the people who dedicated them.
The Ancient Near East collections are displayed in Gallery 23.
Eye idols from Tell Brak
Syria
About 3200 – 3100 BC 🇸🇾
#ancientneareast #eyeidols #tellbrak #figurines #syria #giftstothegods #fitzwilliammuseum #cambridgeuniversity
