Ancient Greece, large terracotta statue of woman, Boeotia or Megaris 700-400 BC. Large terracotta woman statue, stands on a lsquare base, with voluminous hair, wearing chiton. Himation and peplum. The peplum (from Latin peplum , in turn from Greek πέπλος) is an ancient Greek tunic worn by Greek women . The himation ( Ancient Greek : ἱμάτιον, himátion ) was a clothing item from Ancient Greece . It was a wide and enveloping cloak, a kind of shawl . It was worn on one's own body or more usually on top of a chiton . Intact, with remains of white dressing and red pigment in the hair. From a prominent New York City collection. There is a square empty space inside and at the back of the statue, possibly for votive or praying purposes. Size: 3 1/8 x 3 x 10 5/8 in. = 33.33 cm x 7.62 cm x 27 cm; Provenance: private collection in Sarasota, FL, USA. Reference: In Boeotia (Greece) terracotta figures of this type from the Greek period were used both as offerings in temples and sanctuaries and in funerary offerings. The earliest Greek sculptures (9th century BC) were small human figures made of malleable materials such as clay, ivory or wax. It was not until the Archaic period (7th and 6th centuries BC) that the Greeks began to work with stone, although other materials were preserved, mainly ceramics due to the rise of this industry, for small pieces intended to serve as offerings in temples or as part of funerary offerings. These types of pieces were modelled in clay and decorated with white or black engobes (coloured liquid clay), which were then fired in the kiln. The most common theme was the human figure, not so much divinities as in the large pieces, but characters from everyday life, as in the case of this statuette. Reference: Megaris (Ancient Greek: Μεγαρίς) was a small but populous state of ancient Greece, west of Attica and north of Corinthia, whose inhabitants were adventurous seafarers, credited with deceitful propensities. The capital, Megara, was famous for white marble and fine clay. Mount Geraneia dominated the center of the region. The island of Salamis was originally under the control of Megara, before it was lost to Athens in the late 7th century BCE.