Luristan Bronze Socketed Axe Head

£ 350.00

A Luristan cast bronze axe head featuring a long, undecorated, cylindrical socket. The paddle-shaped flattened blade, drawn out from the top of the shaft, broadens out towards the cutting edge which is slightly convex. Beautiful olive-green patination covers the surface of the weapon.

Date: Circa 1500-500 BC
Provenance: Ex Abelita family collection, 1970s-2000s.
Condition: Fine condition, a small hole and chip to the shaft socket. Beautiful green patination and earthly encrustation to the surface.

SOLD

SKU: GL-50 Category: Tag:

Ancient Persian 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 very advanced techniques to produce these fine weapons which were mainly cast by using three major methods, open moulds, close moulds and lost wax castings. Many weapons were finished with a socket hole, much like this fine example, which would have been the most secure way of fixing the item to a wooden shaft. Weapons have been uncovered in recorded excavations, and have generally come from burials. The ethnicity of the people who created them remains unclear, though they may well have been Persian, and possibly related to the modern Lur people (who have given their name to the area).

To discover more about the Luristan Empire, please visit our relevant blog post: The Luristan Empire: Beauty of Bronze.

Weight 404 g
Dimensions L 17.5 cm
Culture

Metal

Region

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