Description:

Ancient Near East, northwestern Iran, Luristan, ca. 1000 to 600 BCE. A minimalistic cast-bronze ibex standing on four straight legs with a broad body and petite tail. A pair of spiraling horns flank his rounded snout, which is incised with a thin mouth. Luristan craftsmen produced high quality bronze objects for a class of nomadic horse lords whose love of their animals shines through clearly in the decorative items they commissioned. Perforations in the shoulders and neck indicate this piece was once suspended as an ornament. Size: 2.8" L x 1" W x 1.8" H (7.1 cm x 2.5 cm x 4.6 cm)

The affluent group in Luristan society that patronized the metalworking industry and purchased decorative items like these were nomadic horsemen. They would travel into towns and purchase bronze and iron objects from craftsmen there. Although these horsemen were pre-literate, we know from the records of the Elamites and other southern neighbors that they were mercenaries in the constant warfare between the Sumerians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and Elamites.

Provenance: private Constance McCormick Fearing estate, Montecito, California, USA, acquired before 2004

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#181087

  • Condition: Heavy weathering to surface, commensurate with age. Otherwise, intact with heavy patina throughout.

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October 19, 2023 8:00 AM MDT
Louisville, CO, US

Artemis Fine Arts

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