Incised Luristan Axe

£ 675.00

A Luristan spike butted axe head, with cylindrical shaft hole decorated with furrowed ribs leading to four spiked ribs. The blade initially displays a short straight shaft, which widens into a crescent shaped head. The blade is decorated in abstract cross-hatching and lines on both sides and the top. This design is very rare amongst blades of this period. The upper and lower edges are thickened.

Date: Circa 1200-800 BC
Provenance: German private collection from Cologne.
Condition: Very fine, with green patina and encrustation covering the surface.Mounted on a custom made wood stand, ideal for display.
Product Code: NES-12
Category: Tags: , , ,

Ancient Persian craftsmen developed great skills in bronze working, crafting some of the finest tools and weaponry at the time available. These include a great number of ornaments, tools, weapons, and horse-fittings, as well as a smaller number of vessels. They have been uncovered in recorded excavations, and generally come from burial sites. The ethnicity of the people who created them remains unclear, though they may well have been Persian, and possibly related to the modern Lur people. Cast spike-butted axes, such as this fine example, are hallmarks of Luristan bronze weaponry during the Early Iron Age, between 1200 and 1000 BC.

To learn more about the metalwork of ancient Luristan, visit our relevant blog post: Ancient Luristan and the Luristan Bronzes.

 

Dimensions L 17 cm
Metal

Bronze

Region

Near East (Western Asiatic)

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