Luristan bronze comes from the province of Lorestan, a region situated in the in the Zagros Mountains. In ancient times a number of nomadic populations, such as the Medes, the Kassites and eventually the Persians, settled in the area. Due to the nomadic nature of the tribes, none of the Luristan bronzes were of great size, since it was required for them to be light and portable. Their artwork mainly comprises of ornaments, vessels and weapons. Bladed weapons, such as this fine example, would have been used in everyday life but also buried together with the deceased, and most of Luristan bronze items have been recovered in such funerary contexts.
To discover more about the Luristan Empire, please visit our relevant blog post: The Luristan Empire: Beauty of Bronze.
