In 1989 we visited the Louve museum in Paris, and I took a photo of this little figurine in a glass case. I e-mailed the museum, to inquire about the little statue, and never heard back.
I thought it might be Aztec, but it appears to look Babylonian. The figure is definitely male, has wings, is carrying a knife, and seems aroused over something or other. Is he handling a snake that is crawling up his leg, either was there is some apparent symbolism, but fortunately is it not live and animated, only suggestive.
War and blood lust no doubt. Undoubtedly someone "Sechel" or common sense, "Liegt in Dreht", is lying in the grave. Lust, zealotry, and fundamentalism, seems to have dissipated the mind of this creature, beyond sense or reason.
I wonder under whose auspices it was created, and what the artist had in mind. It might fit in well in Iraq these days, a demon for Sunni's going after Shiites, Shiite's going after Sunnis, fundamentalist's chasing Americans and Europeans, as well as the West's lust for oil. Yes, definitely some New Millennium symbolism. And for what ? To What end may we ask ? Or is it the demon of industrialization and globalization. Is it reminiscent of insurance companies and health care HMO's, practicing capitation. Is it the cloud of pollution and the environmental despoiling of the planet ?
What became of the civilization who created this little statue ? Might make a nice SUV hood ornament at that.
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