Iberian votive offering, 6th–5th centuries B.C.

Iberian votive offering, 6th–5th centuries B.C.
Bronze.
Provenance: E.M. private collection, Paris; acquired in the 1960s.
Measurements: 7.4 cm high.
Provenance: Family legacy of Ramon Martí Alsina and Ricard Martí Aguiló. Archaeological collection formed from the 1950s by successive generations of the family, through acquisitions in European galleries and auction houses.

Iberian bronze votive offering dating from the 6th to 5th centuries B.C., in the round, with a highly stylized body shaped like a sharp, pointed blade, atop which the head—rendered in half-relief—stands out prominently.
The Iberians settled in the eastern and southern parts of the Iberian Peninsula, maintaining a culture and customs very different from those of the inland peoples. Given the vastness of their territory, which extended as far as southern France, this people was influenced by various cultures, most notably the Phoenicians at first and, later, the Greeks. Iberian society was highly hierarchical, with the warrior and noble class at the top. The priestly class rivaled it in power, and artisans were also held in high regard.