Cypriot Very small portable model shrine: Archaic II (6th century)

Miniature portable models of shrines known as naiskoi have been known in the Middle East and then the Eastern Mediterranean since the end of the Bronze Age, especially in relation to the Phoenician worship of Astarte, a goddess of sexuality and, especially earlier, of war ,hunting and healing. She was identified in Cyprus with an older Cypriot goddess, worshiped especially at Palaepaphos (old Paphos). In the Greek world, during the Mycenaean and dark age this Cypriot hybrid was identified as Aphrodite.

These shrines normally depict a facade with a door flanked by two columns or, as here, surrounded by three nested, recessed door frames (as at Tamassos royal tomb 5 and various temples in the Middle East), or sometimes window-frames enclosing a female head. The door usually frames a cubiculum (or sometimes simply an image in relief) containing a figure, probably of the goddess Astarte. Alternatively it sometimes frames a baetyl – a sacred aniconic stone, argued to also represent Astarte. This can be conical (as at Paphos), columnar or simply a lump. Here the shrine is reduced to a plaque and the image in the doorway is unclear, though possibly a columnar baetyl or a sacred curtain (parokhet) hiding the deity.

The 20 or so Cypriot examples are particularly small (8-10cm), except for two much larger architectural models in the Louvre, found at Idalion. These have, in one case 2, in the other 5, rows of round portholes above the doorway, suggested by Caubet to represent a dovecote: doves being sacred to both Astarte and Aphrodite. It is suggested the rows of punctures in three sides of the top half of our model, refer to this. However punctures on Near Eastern naiskoi have been variously interpreted: on one (Isael Museum, Ex Dayan), rows of punctures on the lower half have been interpreted as orthostats, and on a Lebanese example (Louvre) punctures above the door have been suggested as patterns on a curtain. A very few Near Eastern model shrines have a projecting cylinder above, interpreted as a handle, which might explain the top, unless, exceptionally, it represents a slightly tapering, pillar baetyl.

Idalion seems the most likely origin, though Amathus is the source of most Cypriot naiskoi. The other chief shrine of Astarte is at Kition. The Paphian shrine is normally represented differently.

Triple-recessed doorframe, extended above with 37(?) punctures in 4 rows in the upper part of model, with a few just below down edges. On the sides, on the left are 27 more in 5 rows with one extra on the front edge, and on the right, 20 punctures in 4 rows with 2 extra below on the front edge. Flat top slopes up to a broken, tapering cylinder. Old collector's label '5217-43/3' on underside (now lost).  Top broken off, chipped lower left and front base. Some punctures clogged?

Cf: Caubet A et al 1992 p107-109 Pl.129, 130; Orsinger A 2023 p.264; Arie E, 2023 p.42-45