Description:

Luristan, modern day Iran, ca. 1000 to 600 BCE. This is a long, thin, lost wax cast bronze dagger with a thin rib extending to a short, narrow tang. A perishable handle, possibly made of wood or bone, would have been fastened around the tang. Bronze Age Luristan art was the work of nomadic herdsmen and horsemen who crafted small, portable objects, including daggers, swords, and other weapons. Weapons like these would almost certainly have been entombed in the small rock graves in which their owners were buried; similar pieces come from the archaeological sites of Marlik and Kalar Dasht. This particular piece has evidence of rust on its patina, suggesting that it may have been buried alongside an iron item. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds two daggers very similar to this one. Comes with custom stand. Size: 10.3" L x 1" W (26.2 cm x 2.5 cm).

Provenance: Ex-Kate Sposita; ex-Axis Mundi; Ex-Estate of John Piscopo. Mr. Piscopo was one of the largest collectors of ancient weapons in the US with a collection that spanned all cultures, all ages.

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#112370

  • Condition: Excellent blue-green patina with some of original bronze showing through; one side has a small patch of rust, perhaps indicating that it was buried alongside iron artifacts.

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February 16, 2016 8:00 AM MST
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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