The basic shape of this ancient Israelite figurine - a head, a thin connecting neck, and a flared pedestal for the feet - recalls other fertility figurines from the region. She emphasizes her breasts by placing her hands underneath them, another sign connecting her to the fertility goddess tradition. Archaeologists think she is the goddess Asherah who was the consort of the god El, and may have even been consort to an early, polytheistic version of the Israelite god, Yahweh. The Hebrew Bible associates Asherah with sacred trees, poles, and other cultic objects, which Jewish prophets frequently destroyed.

Sculpture