Luristan Bronze Mace and AxeAn ancient Luristan bronze pair of matching mace and axe heads, each depicting a lion attacking a ram. The mace has three sets of three pointed spikes with the lion and ram repeated three times between them, the axe has the lion and ram depicted on the back of the shaft. The diminutive size of the weapons and playful imagery suggests that they may have been made for a child. Ca. 1500 - 800 BC. Luristan objects, including impressive and numerous decorative bronze horse trappings and weapons, are found mainly in western Persia. Luristan artifacts are most likely the work of the ancient Medes, an Indo-European group that eventually dominated Persia. cf.: P. Amiet, Art of the Ancient Near East, (New York, 1980), p. 366, no. 305, for a copper alloy mace head with animals between the spikes, now in the Louvre. Formerly in a New York private collection; acquired from Sumer Gallery, 1982. Inv#: 7682 $7,500 Guaranteed Authentic |
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