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The Luristan bronzes are probably the best
known products of the craftsmen of ancient
Persia. Their distinctive style features animals as
the dominant motif, either real or fantastic. The
majority of the objects are either horse-bits or
ceremonial weapons. Among them, the spike-
butted axes, in which the spikes terminate in
animal's heads. In our case the spikes feature
what seems to be four boars, while the actual
axe springs out of the mouth of a lion.
The area from which the bronzes are believed to
come is centred on the modern provinces of
Luristan in the western part of Iran. This region
is mountainous, intersected by many ranges
running in a north-west/south-east direction;
between them, are well-watered plains, ideal for
breeding horses. In antiquity access to the region
was difficult; such remotedness must have
encouraged its cultural isolation and
idiosynchratic artistic production.From the
archaeological exacavations undertaken in the
area, the prevalence of horse-related objects
such as trappings and horse-bits would strongly
indicate a society based on horsemanship, and
possibly semi-sedentary in nature: a
characteristic still present among the Lurs of
today.
- (LO.932)
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