Ancient Near East, Iran, Amlash culture, ca. 13th to 10th century BCE (bronze sword) and Achaemenid Persian Empire, ca. 550 to 330 BCE (silver spear head). A pair of ceremonial weapons from ancient Iran. The first is a short bronze sword with a crescent-shaped attachment between the wide, flat-ribbed blade and the cylindrical handle capped with a bell-shaped finial. Ancient Iran was a culture rich in dramatic bronze creations. A class of nomadic horse lords and ladies commissioned bronze items from artisans in urban centers. Cast in multiple pieces using the lost wax casting technique, this weapon and ones like it ultimately came to grace the graves of elite warriors. Size of sword: 20.55" L x 2.7" W (52.2 cm x 6.9 cm)

The second is a ceremonial silver socketed spear head with harpoon-like "feathers" in the center of the shaft and incised lines and cross-hatched from its narrow triangular blade along its shaft. It terminates in a narrow socket. The blade edges are not sharp, alluding to this weapon's use in ceremony, but the feathers are incredibly sharp - be careful! The Achaemenid love of silver and gold was famous throughout the ancient world. Plato wrote of how the acquisition of gold and silver was considered a virtue in their culture while Alcibiades, another Athenian, wrote of the enormous wealth in gold and silver that the Persians had. In a society where flaunting wealth was important, this spear head would have been a prized possession, demonstrating the high social status of its wearer. It probably ended its functional life as a grave good, placed into a tomb alongside other treasures. Size: 12.95" L x 1.1" W (32.9 cm x 2.8 cm)

The two pieces come together on a custom stand. Height on stand: 11.95" (30.4 cm).

Provenance: private New Jersey USA collection, acquired over twenty years ago

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#121288

Bronze sword has dark green patina and handle may be reattached. Silver weapon has some tarnish and encrustation in lower profile areas.