--- title: Terracotta Bust of a Macedonian Goddess or Princess from Pella author: Nathalie Choubineh source: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/19527/terracotta-bust-of-a-macedonian-goddess-or-princes/ format: machine-readable-alternate license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/) updated: 2024-10-11 --- # Terracotta Bust of a Macedonian Goddess or Princess from Pella _Authored by [Nathalie Choubineh](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/nathalie.choubineh/)_ ## Image File [![Terracotta Bust of a Macedonian Goddess or Princess from Pella](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19527.jpg)](https://www.worldhistory.org/uploads/images/19527.jpg) ## Image Caption Terracotta bust of a Macedonian goddess or princess from Pella, found in the [Agora](https://www.worldhistory.org/agora/), dating from the 4th century BCE. Archaeological Museum of Pella. In stark contrast to the limited view of [women](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/women/) offered in ancient writings about Macedonia, the visual [culture](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/culture/) of the region gives us a manifold picture *par excellence* of female life in Classical, [Hellenistic](https://www.worldhistory.org/Hellenic_World/), and [Roman](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Roman/) times. Painted and sculpted heads, busts, and bodies retrieved from remains of interior and exterior spaces can give us a vivid, solid picture of women's likings, lifestyles, and common positioning, represented in their headwear, hairstyles, clothing (and nudity), as well as in their facial and bodily gestures and the objects they have with or around them. The terracotta bust of a female in the Archaeological Museum of Pella is one of the many found in the ancient [city](https://www.worldhistory.org/city/) of Pella, established in the early 4th century BCE by King [Archelaus](https://www.worldhistory.org/disambiguation/Archelaus/) I of [Macedon](https://www.worldhistory.org/macedon/) (r. 413-399 BCE) to replace the old capital city of Aigai. A prosperous port city at that time, Pella was the birthplace of [Philip II of Macedon](https://www.worldhistory.org/Philip_II_of_Macedon/) and his son, [Alexander the Great](https://www.worldhistory.org/Alexander_the_Great/). Accordingly, the population of the elite, from courtiers to traders to thinkers, must have been notably vast and varied, as reflected also in the size of the agora. The smiling young woman depicted here is perceived to be a goddess. Her sun-disk headwear with its long and bold tail is worn by many of her divine peers including [Aphrodite](https://www.worldhistory.org/Aphrodite/) and [Demeter](https://www.worldhistory.org/demeter/). It is likely to be a variation of the *kausia*, the Illyrian-Macedonian round hat of kings and commanders. Her short-sleeved peplos with a pronounced hem around the v-collar neck and her light-hearted, innocent face, however, might rather be symbolising the gentle and tranquil beauty idealised in depictions of princesses and other noble young women in Hellenistic art. #### Editorial Review This human-authored image has been reviewed by our editorial team before publication to ensure accuracy, reliability and adherence to academic standards in accordance with our [editorial policy](https://www.worldhistory.org/static/editorial-policy/). ## About the Author Nathalie is a translator and independent researcher of dance in the ancient world with a focus on Ancient Greece and the Near East. She has published works in ancient dance, ethnomusicology, and literature. She loves learning and sharing knowledge. - [Facebook Profile](https://www.facebook.com/nathalie.choubineh/) - [Linkedin Profile](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathalie-choubineh-035a8451/) ## External Links - [Archaeological Museum of Pella | Directorate of Archaeological Museums, Exhibitions and Educational Programs](https://archaeologicalmuseums.gr/en/museum/5df34af3deca5e2d79e8c1a9/archaeological-museum-of-pella) ## Cite This Work ### APA Choubineh, N. (2024, October 09). Terracotta Bust of a Macedonian Goddess or Princess from Pella. *World History Encyclopedia*. ### Chicago Choubineh, Nathalie. "Terracotta Bust of a Macedonian Goddess or Princess from Pella." *World History Encyclopedia*, October 09, 2024. . ### MLA Choubineh, Nathalie. "Terracotta Bust of a Macedonian Goddess or Princess from Pella." *World History Encyclopedia*, 09 Oct 2024, . ## License & Copyright Submitted by [Nathalie Choubineh](https://www.worldhistory.org/user/nathalie.choubineh/ "User Page: Nathalie Choubineh"), published on 09 October 2024. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/deed.en). This license lets others remix, tweak, and build upon this content non-commercially, as long as they credit the author and license their new creations under the identical terms. When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Please note that content linked from this page may have different licensing terms.