Luristan objects are discovered in the province of Lorestan, a region situated in the Zagros Mountains in Central Asia, and an area which hosted in antiquity numerous populations, such as the Medes and the Kassites. Due to the nomadic nature of these tribes, most Luristan bronzes were small and light, as they needed to be portable, with objects such as weapons, tools, finials, small amulets, horse-fittings, and vessels often being excavated. The many weapons discovered suggest that war played a significant part in the history of Luristan, but whether for defence, conquest, or both is unknown. Such a large collection of various different kinds of weaponry in and of itself attests to the existence of local wealth, power and some form of political organisation. Most Luristan bronze objects were found in funerary contexts, indicating that these pieces may too have served a ceremonial function.
To learn more about the metalwork of ancient Luristan, visit our relevant blog post: Ancient Luristan and the Luristan Bronzes.
