The lower part of the small female archaic statue is made in one piece with the base and has a back pillar. Her chiton falls in vertical folds down to the ground but leaves a niche for two schematized feet set apart. The oblique bit of garment seen above her right hip is perhaps a kolpos, folded over a belt, rather than the himation commonly found in this type. The folds on her left side resemble those of the Milesian woman who, according to Richter (Korai, no. 57, fig. 191), wears an epiblema, a shawl covering the back and lower l. side.

In general, the style is similar to the Samian Cheramyes-Geneleos group (Korai, 44-45, figs. 183-262; 575-555 B.C.). Particularly close are the lower parts of Cheramyes statues in Berlin and in Samos (Korai, nos. 60-61, figs. 202-204), but the best illustration of the immediate monumental prototype is a Milesian “Partridge-holder,” somewhat more linear in style than the Samians (Korai, 47, no. 57, figs. 190-194). The Sardis piece seems more primitive; I would place it not later than 580-570 B.C. Although, compared to Samian and Milesian korai, the workmanship is simplified, the combination and contrast of roughened, fine-point work on base and back pillar with flat-chiseled geometric folds, moved by slightly swelling life in the curves of the garment, is quite enchanting. The effect of helkochitones Samian ladies who let “their snowy chitons sweep the floor of the wide earth” (Asios in Athenaeus 12.525f, cited by Richter, Korai, 45) is naively but persuasively conveyed.

Whether the statue had a columnar naiskos like Cat. 6 or a simpler arrangement with overhanging “roof” like the Dermys and Kittylos group (Richter, Kouroi, no. 11, figs. 76-77) can no longer be determined.

Medium to fine-grained marble, reddish accretion.

Some cement from reuse in Syn wall still adheres. Broken below hips. Base rough-picked for insertion into another pedestal up to line of garment. Back is flat and rough-picked, perhaps to be put against the wall of a small shrine (naiskos).