This is a statue of a male worshiper from Abu Temple in the Ancient Near East. This type of statue serves as a votive, a votive is an object that stands in for a wish or prayer. This particular statue is 29.5 inches tall and is made of gypsum alabaster, black limestone, bitumen, and shell. It depicts a man wearing a robe with his hands clasped together. His eyes large are wide open in awe or as if he is eternally watchful in prayer. He also has a very detailed beard, which can indicate status. Whereas the rest of the piece, his robe and even hands are not as detailed as the beard. This focuses on the idea of representing the person not mimetically, but in a general sense, since the votive is for the gods not the public.
