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LOT 0298
Luristan Bronze Horse Bit
9TH-8TH CENTURY B.C.
6 7/8 in. (543 grams, 17.5 cm).
The cheekpieces formed as winged deer with horns and small ears, a circular opening to the body for the bar to pass through, two loops and studs to the reverse; the bar with looped circular terminals.
ProvenanceEx old English collection.
London art market, pre 2000.
Property of a Lonodon, UK, gentleman.
Cf. Haerink, E., Overlaet, B., 'Finds from Khatunban B – Badavar Valley (Luristan) in the Iran Bastan Museum' in Iranica Antiqua, January 2004, pp.105-168, pl.5, for a similar.
FootnotesThe most admirable horse bits ever created by man are undoubtedly those from Luristan, a province which extended along the valleys that make up the central part of the Zagros mountains. Worked in cast bronze with the lost wax process, they almost always had a rigid cannon in round or square bars which were flattened and rolled up around themselves at the ends, but their exceptional feature were the figural side bars. The local metalsmiths, in a period of time between 1200 and 700 B.C. managed to create an infinite number of typologies: horses, oxen, ibex, roosters and various mythological animals.
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Late Roman Iron Socketted Javelin
4th-6th century A.D.Sold for (Inc. bp): £208
Fitted with a triangular blade with two barbs, expanding tubular socket. 213 grams, 23.5 cm
From the private collection of a London gentleman, from his grandfather's collection formed before the early 1970s.
Since the third century, Roman soldiers increasingly started to use long shafted socketed weapons with barbed heads. These weapons were called bebrae by Vegetius, according to whom they were able to cut heads with a single stroke. They first appeared in Northern Europe, as shown by numerous finds of barbed heads in graves and peat-bogs, especially Danish, and were introduced to the Roman army by Germanic mercenaries. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Arrowhead Group
13th-6th century B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £117
Comprising four large triangular-shaped arrowheads, each with a raised midrib. 129 grams total, 14-15.5 cm
Acquired 1980-2015. Ex Abelita family collection.
Although different in shape, these four heads are apparently related types of a polythetic group. There are represented two basic deltoid forms: one has a sharp, flat blade, the ends of which extend to form wings or barbs, and a prominent midrib extending into a long tang that often has a stop; the blade shape varies from deltoid to more manifestly triangular. The other form has no barbs, but it has a prominent midrib extending to the tang, it is narrow and leaf shaped. -
Roman Inscribed Lead Slingshot Group
17 March 45 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £286
Comprising four scaphoid lead slingshots (glandes), each with traces of low-relief inscription(s) referring to 'CN P[OMPEIUS]'. 216 grams total, 37-50 mm
Ex M.Cummings, UK, 1990s.
These shots (mainly of type IIb of the Völling classification) are marked with the abbreviated name of Cn.Pompeius; they were used in quantity at the Battle of Monda (or Munda) against the Caesarian troops, by the followers of Pompey, on 17th March 45 B.C. Similar missiles were used in the civil war between Pompey and Caesar, and in all Caesar's wars. The projectiles of the slingers could be in lead (glandes) or in pottery or stone (lapides). Sometimes they were signed with the name of the general, or used to report some injuries, for example the sling missile found in Alesia with the name of Labienus.
