Luristan Cosmetic Horse Pin Group

The animal carved with its head and neck resting along its back; stylised figure with crescent horns or headdress engraved to base; pierced for suspension. 5.07 grams, 21 mm



From an early 20th century collection, Caernarfon, North Wales, UK.

A corpus of similar pieces was found by Italian archaeologists in the city of Karkemish. They were produced and in use in the Iron Age I-III (i.e. from ca. 1190 B.C., date of the collapse of the Hittite Empire and the rise of the “Great Kings” of Karkemish, to 605 B.C., date of the “battle of Karkemish”, when the Babylonian army conquered the city.

With intaglio frieze depicting a pair of addorsed ibexes in rampant pose, their horns held in the grip of a nude facing female with spread wings; tall male winged figure looking backwards towards the female, advancing towards two opposed hounds with heads thrown back and a small figure leaping over them holding two reeds or wands; tall male figure in pleated garment and broad-brimmed cap holding the tether of one ibex, star above; supplied with a museum-quality impression. 28.4 grams, 30 mm



From the property of late Mr SM, London, UK, 1970-1990s, thence by descent. Examined by Professor Wilfrid George Lambert FBA (1926-2011), historian, archaeologist, and specialist in Assyriology and Near Eastern archaeology, in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Comprising: an Akkadian example with a heroic scene carved in shell, accompanied by an old scholarly note, typed and signed by W.G. Lambert, late Professor of Assyriology, University of Birmingham, 1970-1993, which states: 'Cylinder Seal of White Marble, 18 x 10 mm. The design shows hero in the middle, succouring on either side a domestic quadruped on its hind legs, each being attacked by a lion. This is an Akkadian seal from Mesopotamia or West Iran, c. 2300-2200 B.C. The surface is somewhat worn.'; a haematite seal engraved with a walking dog or wolf with three stars above, rosette to the back; a carnelian seal engraved with a group of worshippers wearing long robes and Median caps, tree motif to the back. 7.62 grams total, 13-18 mm



The first property of a London gentleman; part of his family collection since the 1970s. Academically researched and catalogued by the late Professor Lambert in the 1980s. The other examples the property of a London gentleman; acquired before 1995. From a collection acquired from various auction houses in the UK. From the estate of Mr R.W., a private Wiltshire, UK, collector; thence by descent. Accompanied by a original typed and signed scholarly note by the late W.G. Lambert, Professor of Assyriology at the University of Birmingham, 1970-1993.