Featured in this lot is this amazing piece of ancient history, a Luristan bronze short sword circa 1000-600 BC. Artifacts created by a semi-nomadic population that formerly inhabited the hilly region of northwest Iran are referred to as Luristan. Although little is known about this ancient civilization, the most striking remnants are the bronze items they left behind, which are scattered throughout modern-day Afghanistan, Iran, and Turkey. These include elaborately designed weaponry, ceremonial vessels, and highly ornamental equipment for their horses, ranging in complexity from basic utilitarian parts to intricate works of art. The earliest known Median empire is said to have created the Luristan bronzes, but this has never been confirmed, as written records of the Medes did not survive. The Medes were an Indo-Iranian group who originated in central Asia and moved to northwest Iran in the ninth century BC. In 614 BC, they overthrew the Assyrian empire. Their empire, which had spanned from central Iran to the Persian Gulf and Anatolia, was destroyed by the Persians in 550 BC, ending their brief reign of power. The ancient Near East, which includes portions of present-day Turkey, Iran, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf nations, is where this antique bronze Luristan sword originated. It dates to the Iron Age and was cast and forged in bronze. It has an intricate integrated handle that was intended to be inlaid with an organic, ornamental material like shell, ivory, or bone or precious metals and/or ores. The blade is wide at its hilt and tapers into a long triangular shape with a low ridge down its length. Its sides have been sharpened and the point is nice, but have been dulled down from its age. A strong handle surmounts the crescent-shaped hand guard, which is situated above the blade shoulder and has three concentric grooves on it. Provenance: East Coast Collection, New York Gallery, New York City. Overall, the short sword shows good condition for its ancient age showing thick layers of green and brown patina with small areas of azurite patina scattered throughout. It measures 17" L x 2 1/2" W x 1 3/16" D and weighs 14 ounces.

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