Lot 60
**Originally Listed At $3000**
Caucasus region, modern day eastern Turkey (Anatolia) / Armenia, Urartu culture, ca. 9th to 7th century BCE. A rare bronze belt with stamped motifs depicting a stag hunt. Stamped into the bronze are repeated images of scampering stags, ibexes, and lions. Each motif repeats three times vertically. Cross- and diamond-shaped forms, also stamped, are between each set of animals. A thin stamped border is at top and bottom, with punched, tiny holes above and below them and around the edges to allow it to be sewn to a leather backing. Similar known belts are composed of two sheets of bronze that are sewn together at one end. This example would have once had a clasping mechanism on its other end. Size: 9.25" W x 2.6" H (23.5 cm x 6.6 cm)
The civilization of Urartu was one of several states that arose following the destruction of the Hittite state in approximately 1200 BCE. Others included Tabal, Phrygia, and Lydia - each one possessed its own distinct language, religion, ethnicity, and visual culture. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art Heilbrunn essay, "In their inscriptions, the Assyrians of Mesopotamia refer to the Urartians as their northern enemies from the eleventh to the seventh centuries B.C. However, the earliest known Urartian written document, a rock inscription at Van (ancient Tushpa), records the earliest reference to the state. There it says that Urartu was ruled by a king named Sarduri (r. ca. 840–830 B.C.), and mentions a male deity, Haldi, the supreme god throughout Urartian history."
Provenance: The Dere Family Collection, New York, USA, assembled 1970's-2000's; ex-Manukyan Family Collection, France, acquired in 1980's
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#138495
- Condition: Repaired and restored at two points along the body. This is well done and not noticeable from the decorated front of the piece. One end of the belt is partially lost and the end is sharp. Modern copper wire has been used to hold the two ends of the belt together. Rich, deep green patina on the surface, with nicely preserved motifs.
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| From: | To: | Increments: |
|---|---|---|
| $0 | $299 | $25 |
| $300 | $999 | $50 |
| $1,000 | $1,999 | $100 |
| $2,000 | $4,999 | $250 |
| $5,000 | $9,999 | $500 |
| $10,000 | $19,999 | $1,000 |
| $20,000 | $49,999 | $2,500 |
| $50,000 | $99,999 | $5,000 |
| $100,000 | $199,999 | $10,000 |
| $200,000 + | $20,000 |