Clay figure?

cerebus · Jul 19, 2018

Found while detecting a site that gave up rev war buttons and later. Only a little over an inch high and long. A dark black colour, terra cotta maybe? It isn’t metal.
Any ideas?

Hawks88 · Jul 19, 2018

Nice interesting find. Sorry can’t help with the ID.

DCMatt · Jul 20, 2018

Cool dig! My first thought was 'Nativity piece'. But the girl has bread and wine. Never saw that in a Nativity set...

And it is tiny. One inch X one inch? Maybe a chess piece? Servant/pawn? :icon_scratch:

Carolina Tom · Jul 20, 2018

Perhaps a monk, winemaker and long robe, make me think this.

Tpmetal · Jul 20, 2018

very interesting. No idea what it was made for, but I do know that it is a moulded piece, as there is a seam line. Probably pressed into the bottom of the mould or into either half of the mould and joined together. As to date it's hard to say with my knowledge being mostly how it was made. Terra cotta or stoneware(think old jugs) is a good bet for the material.

Doubter in MD · Jul 20, 2018

The bread and wine could possibly signify the body and blood of Christ.

huntsman53 · Jul 20, 2018

IMHO, it appears to be Madonna with child. She is holding bread in her' right hand with wine in front. She is also holding the child in her' left arm who is partially sitting on a drum or barrell type container. Likely some religious significance to the small sculpture.

Doubter in MD · Jul 20, 2018

It appears she is resting her head on her hand/arm but I don't see a child.

cerebus · Jul 20, 2018

To me it looks like she is resting her head on her hand and elbow on a barrel. Bread in her right hand and wine attached to the barrel.
Thx for the ideas

DCMatt · Jul 20, 2018

Doubter in MD said:
The bread and wine could possibly signify the body and blood of Christ.

I thought about 'First Communion' keepsake, but there is nothing overtly Christian about the piece. No Jesus, no cross, no praying hands as seen in most first communion items.

I don't see a baby, either. Girl, bread, wine, maybe fatigue and/or despair. It made me think "servant".

HuntinDog · Jul 20, 2018

Rodin's female thinker...

A2coins · Jul 20, 2018

that is really cool to find hope it brings good luck

huntsman53 · Jul 20, 2018

You all are correct! What I thought was a baby from a quick look, is not a baby. Sorry! IMHO, the piece is probably not very old and appears to be of a subject from the Mediterranean, Aegean, Middle East or possibly the North African continent!