Luristan bronze comes from areas of modern day western Iran. In the ancient world it was settled by a number of peoples, such as the Medes, the Kassites, and eventually the Persians. Due to the nomadic nature of many of these civilisations, none of the Luristan bronzes were of great size, since it was required for them to be light and portable. Statuettes of local fauna, such as this interesting example, have been largely recovered from Luristan burials. Bull symbolism was common in Luristan decorative art, the animal represented strength and virility as the leader of the herd.
To discover more about the Luristan Empire, please visit our relevant blog post: The Luristan Empire: Beauty of Bronze.
