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LOT 1068
Luristan Arrowhead Group
2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
1 3/4 - 4 1/4 in. (52 grams total, 4.3-10.9 cm).
A group of six bronze arrowheads with deltoid form, a sharp barbed blade and prominent midrib extending to a long tang. [6]
ProvenanceAcquired 1980-2015.
Ex Abelita family collection.
Cf. Muscarella, O.W., Bronze and Iron Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, 1988, pp.289ff., for similar, nos.408, 409, 416.
FootnotesA number of arrowheads of this type have been excavated from the Northern Iranian Plateau, in Luristan and in the South-Caspian region. Many parallels have a burial provenance, but a large hoard of them was found in a non-funerary context. This type of arrowhead has been in use from the 2nd millennium B.C. Godard claimed that barbed types of heads came from tombs from Luristan, like the ones found in Tang-i-Hamamlan.
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Large Medieval Iron Axehead
15th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £650
A substantial hand-forged iron axe with D-section socket and broad offset blade, fixed with three nails to the iron handle. 2.3 kg, 33.5 cm
Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector.
The axe corresponds to the type XII of the Glosek classification. The type is known from Poland and Sweden. However, very often these axes were found without context, and generally classified as 15th century A.D. While the axes from Sweden are regarded as weapons, and dated 14th century A.D., the long and thickened back of the axe is rather characteristic of a butcher's axe, or of an executioner's axe. -
Villanovan Bronze Helmet
8th century B.C.Estimate: £20,000 - 30,000 (‡+bp*)
Opening Bid: £7,500
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. -
Marlik Spearhead with Pronounced Ridge
14th-10th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £114
A heavy bronze spearhead comprising an oval blade with gently curved shoulders and strong midrib, flat rectangular-section tang tapering to a curved end. 432 grams, 45.8 cm
Fine condition.
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980-2015.
The spearhead belongs to the type V of the heavy spearheads, similar to the ones excavated by Dr. Negahban in Tomb 47 (Trench XXIIE) of the Marlik necropolis. The heavy spearheads, cast in one piece, usually have an oval blade with rounded gently curved shoulders and a rounded midrib near the tang.
