Luristan bronzes come from the Lorestan Province, renowned in antiquity for its sophisticated metal-working. Weapons, tools, amulets, jewellery and finials comprise the majority of bronze output from the region and most have been recovered in funerary contexts, suggesting they had a ceremonial function. The decorative technique is predominately openwork with Scythian art influences. However, the identity of those who created these fine pieces are still unknown to this day. Animals were often featured as decorations; they ranged from mammals such as ibexes and large bird to zoomorphic creatures including griffins. A prime and popular example is the Master of Animals which usually depicts a man or women holding animals or just the animals themselves facing each other on finials or standards. This imagery can be seen across the Mesopotamian civilisations.
To find out more about metalwork in Luristan please see our relevant blog post: The Luristan Empire: Beauty of Bronze.
