Ancient Bronze Mountain Goat Amulet, Iran, Luristan (1941BCE) $395
$395.00
H: 3″ W: 3.125″ D: 1.25″ | FREE SHIPPING
In early culture to cast objects in bronze, Luristan artists made sophisticated and imaginative bronzes prized in the ancient world for their inventive designs and fine craftsmanship. They depicted local animals wherever they were, as a long horned goat like this was hunted and a major source of food for survival. This finely made standing figurine has a surprisingly detailed shaped head with long antlers, tall thin legs, large eyes and a slightly curved body and is mounted on a Lucite base.
Description
Most ethnic Luristan (Lorestan) Iron Age bronzes were small items found in the the Zagros Mountains valleys in Lorestan Province, Western Iran. Other items found included tools, small vessels and horse-fittings, many buried with the deceased as ancestral pieces for use in their afterlife. Although their origin is not certain, they were likely Persians related to the modern Iranian Lur people. Early pieces date to the late 2nd millennium BCE, and most scholars agree on dates of 1000-600 BCE for items like this one. They are the surviving ritual art of nomadic people who had mostly portable possessions along with weapons, tent-poles, sleeping and eating gear, and other bare necessities Their entire wealth was quickly packed and transported by horses often on short notice. Animal images are common, especially long-horn goats and sheep which were generally thin, inventive, and very distinctive. Small charms have a loop on the back to be suspended and worn as spiritual-jewelry, personal adornment, a votive or ritual animal fetish or hung as a charm or amulet on a horse to bring luck and provide hunters success in their hunt. Mounted on a Lucite stand, this is in excellent condition and has a fine aged patina considering its age and burial.
Sources:
Encyclopedia Iranica, “The Bronzes of Luristan”
Edith Porada, “The Bronzes of Luristan,” Record of the Art Museum, Princeton University
Iranciaonline, “Bronzes of Luristan”
Jane C. Waldbaum, Luristan Bronzes, Princeton, Princeton University Art Museum, Vol. 32, No.2, 1973, pp. 8-15.
Additional information
| Weight | 4 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 6 × 6 × 6 in |
| Place of Origin | Ancient Mediterranean |
| Period | Iron Age |
| Date | 1000-650 BCE |
| Materials and Technique | Metal |
| Dimensions (inches) | Ht: 3" W: 3.125" D: 1.25" |
| Dimensions (metric) | Ht: 7.62cm W:7.94cm D: 3.175cm |
| Weight | 1941BCE |
| Condition | Excellent, fine patina demonstrating age and use |
| Shipping Box Size | |
| Item Number | 1941BCE |
