Luristan Bronze Arrowhead Group

Comprising four gilt copper-alloy sword belt fittings: a large buckle plate with ogival head and trefoil plate; a buckle with roughly D-shaped loop and shell-style plate, triangular-section tongue; a buckle composed of an oval head and roughly rectangular plate decorated with an X-motif and enigmatic forms in each quarter, articulate tongue; a C-section mount displaying raised floral vines. 67 grams total, 37-59 mm

Fine condition.

Acquired in the 1980s-1990s. Ex an important central London gallery, London W1.

These wonderful fittings show similarities with examples from the Caucasus and Kuban regions. They show parallels with specimens from the Verchne-Szaltovo area, for example a bronze buckle from the catacomb grave no.11.

Comprising a broad, double-edged blade with rounded tip, shallow central fuller to the upper third of both sides; flat guard with stepped central panel, D-section arms formed in a horizontal S-curve, 'cat's head' truncated type pommel with an integral central boss to both faces; the tang with a sword-shaped stamp, the blade with an inlaid three-armed workshop mark and another stamp, including a V surmounted by a cross. 1.37 kg, 1.18 m

Restored and protected with a possible vertical suspension in acid solution, on the blade traces of delamination and flaking along the pattern-welds, some corrosion damages but in general very good condition.

From an English collection, acquired 1990s. The Kusmirek Collection, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.11771-203963.

The Schiavonesca sword was used by Dalmatian mercenaries serving in the Venetian state armies, and were produced by the workshops of the Serenissima to which the marks probably belong. Many of these swords were produced in Dubrovnik, a Croatian city under the Venetian rule. Dr Aleksić mentions the swordsmith Radonja Vukotić, who made an agreement with blacksmith Andrija Miletin at the beginning of September 1436, to produce swords together in the following year.

From the right side of the face mask, the upper edge with a band of embossed diagonal lines, probably intending to represent stylised hair, embossed spiral to the centre, a symbol clearly connected with the worship of the sun; a hole for the fastening thongs at ear-level which originally linked the face-guard to the bowl. 75 grams, 13 cm high



Acquired 1960s-1990s. Late Alison Barker collection, a retired London barrister.

The spiral decoration of the face-guard is connected with the solar cult. The spiral represents the rotary movement of the sun, and the spiral is probably the oldest known spiritual symbol connected with the sun, together with the swastika or tetragammadion. The connection can also be seen in Celtic art, where the representation of the spiral also follows the path of the sun, describing the movements of the heavenly body over the course of a solar year. The third century was characterised by diffusion of the solar cult, the Sol Invictus, among the Roman soldiers, with its symbols often represented on arms and weapons as an apotropaic element of protection.