Luristan craftsmen developed great skill in bronze working, producing some of the finest tools and weaponry then available. These include a great number of ornaments, tools, weapons, horse-fittings, as well as a smaller number of vessels. Craftsmen used advanced techniques to produce these bronze pieces which were mainly cast by using three major methods, open moulds, close moulds and lost wax castings. The prevalence and intricacy of horse depictions, as well as horse equipment, in Luristan bronzes implies a great significance of the animal in the culture. The manufacturers of the Luristan bronzes, though unknown, are widely understood to have been a nomadic people, and horses would have played a crucial role in almost every aspect of life, including transport, warfare, agriculture and religion.
To discover more about the Luristan Empire, please visit our relevant blog post: The Luristan Empire: Beauty of Bronze.