Luristan Arrowhead Collection

A group of three short iron spearheads with lentoid-section lanceolate blade, short neck and tapering circular socket with forge-welded split, single hole for attachment pin; remains of wood inside one of the shafts. 578 grams total, 24.5-28.5 cm



Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector.

The spears belong to the type A of the first main group of Viking spears, the so-called Frankish spearheads, which occur between 750 and 950 A.D., but mainly in the 8th and 9th centuries. The Mediterranean influence is still evident on the foliate shape of the blade.

A Levantine or Assyrian domed bronze helmet of ovoid shape with slightly pointed top and integral cheek-pieces; chased low-relief decoration to both front and back depicting insignia of a pair of opposing ibexes flanking a small palm tree; the edge with regularly disposed holes for fastening of the leather lining; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 458 grams, 23 cm high (2.36 kg total, 31.5 cm high including stand)

Fine condition, some restoration.

Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister. 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 no.11386-190447.

This rare helmet is an unusual example of a conical strap-helmet, linked with similar Greek strap helmets, but until now in the Near East, known only from the Assyrian reliefs. It is shown together with the crested helmets, on the reliefs of Tiglapilaser III and Sennacherib.

A bronze 'pot' helmet with rounded bowl and flared rim; three sets of paired piercings for attachment of leather cheek-flaps; cracked; accompanied by a custom-made display stand. 1.7 kg, 30.5 cm wide

Bowl pierced and cracked.

Acquired early 1990s. Ex private American collection; thence by descent. Private Swiss collection since 1998. 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 searcher certificate no.11573-199009.

The ‘pot’ or ‘bell’ helmet, found as early as in an 8th century coffer grave (ad arca) from the Esquiline (Rome) and other graves (Coussin, 1926, p.88, fig.23; Sekunda, Northwood,1995, p.6, grave 94) was made from a single piece of bronze, while later Italic variants were fashioned from jointed plates (Connolly, 1981, p.102, figs.2-2a; Egg, 1988, p.223, variant Vetulonia). The skull was somewhat spherical and with a flared rim: this in some Etruscan and Italic specimens, was rivetted for strength (Egg, 1988, fig.18, p.240, from Picenum, and Murlo and Trestina variants, p.232, fig.10 and p.234, fig.12; Connolly, 2006, p.102, figs.2-2a, from Sesto Calende). The smooth surface of these types of helmets was intended to deflect blows. The ‘calotte’ helmets (Egg, 1988, pl.57) from Rome, as the helmet here, appear to be variants of a similar helmet from Montegiorgio Piceno and from Montelparo (ex Zschille collection). Some of them, like the helmet found in the necropolis of Tolentinum, were decorated with rich engravings. These practical helmets were probably furnished with a leather chinstrap, even though a similar Galea, found in the Tomba del Duce at Vetulonia, (Fossati, 1987, p.50; Egg, 1988, pp.223-224, fig.3, p.231, fig.12) dated to the first half of the 7th century B.C., still had the remains of what was probably a bronze cheek-piece.