Elamite Decorated Bronze Axehead

Biconical in profile with casting seam and reserved legend 'ΛY-P-N' = maybe ΛYKOΦ-PONO = Lykophronos (name). 25.6 grams, 31 mm



Acquired on the German art market before 2000. Private collection, Munich, Germany.

The leaden bullets, which were thrown from slings, were called in Greek molivdainai (μολύβδαιναι), and in Latin glandes; the former indicating the material ‘lead’, the latter the shape ‘acorns’. These bullets were cast in a mould and bore letters or devices, or both, on two sides or on only one. In form they were more like an almond than an acorn, but many are pointed at both ends.

Of Wheeler's Type I with point at the median line, broad with thick back and wide, flat tang for a whittle-tang hilt assemblage; incised lines to both faces following the profile of the back and cutting edge. 610 grams, 50 cm



Private collection, UK.

Formed as a domed bowl with a rivetted overlay on the top, a bird of prey finial at the crown with a raised vertical ridge before the beak; extensive decoration on the body comprising annulets, lines, ring-and-dot motifs and pointillé borders, a circumferential border of rectangular panels on the lower part of the helmet, each rectangle divided into four triangular panels with herringbone and ring-and-dot decoration; a short nose-guard beneath the raised ridge, four raised bosses flanking the ridge, depicting apotropaic eyes; the lower rim pierced for the attachment of internal lining. 650 grams, 21 cm wide



Ex German private collection, M.B., Mainz, 1980s. Acquired from the above by the current owner. 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 search certificate number no.12902-242697.

The helmet belongs to a limited series of helmets found in the Caucasus, discovered in archaeological complexes of the Colchis-Koban Culture, adding another chapter to the history of a series of important Caucasian helmets. Its decoration rivals that of a helmet of the Krasnodar Museum, until now the most complete and decorated in this category. All the helmets of this typology were decorated according to a certain scheme, but the present helmet and the one from Krasnodar are richer in terms of symbols and ornaments. The decoration and similarity with other helmets in this series suggest that the present helmet could have been made for the military elite of the North-West Caucasus in Central Caucasian workshops. Most likely, the owner was part of the elite of the local tribes of the North-West Caucasus of the Maeotic circle.