LOT 0296

Bactrian Bronze Animal Axehead

13TH-12TH CENTURY B.C.

8 5/8 in. (780 grams total, 22 cm including stand).

Featuring a low-relief depiction of a hunting dog on each side of the socket, lobed rear plate and broad, D-shaped blade with a raised, dentilled panel along the cutting edge; mounted on a custom-made stand.

Private family collection, acquired in the 1970s.
with a London gallery.
with TimeLine Auctions, 24 February 2018, no.341.
Private collection, London, UK.

Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato.
This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12841-240646.
This lot has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database, and is accompanied by an illustrated lot declaration signed by the Head of the Antiquities Department, Dr Raffaele D'Amato.

Cf. Curtis, J., Early Mesopotamian and Iran, London, 1993, fig.7, p.80; Mahboubian, H., Art of Ancient Iran, London, 1997, figs.14-15; Gorelik, M., Weapons of Ancient East, IV millennium BC-IV century BC, Saint Petersburg, 2003, in Russian, see pl.XXI, no.69, from Luristan, for similar; Gernez, G., L’armament en métal au Proche et Moyen-Orient: des origines a 1750 av. J.C., Paris, 2007, fig.2.15, subtype H 2.I.b.

Most of these axes are believed to have originated in Bactria, but some objects come from well documented contexts in Margiane (Gonur), Lut (Shahdad) and Kermanshah (Khinaman). According to Gernez they were made for ceremonial use.