Luristan Horse Bit with Animals

Comprising three triangular arrowheads with raised midribs and long stems; mounted on a custom-made display stand. 135 grams total, 16.5 cm including stand



Acquired in the 1990s. From the private collection of John Lawton, Surrey, UK.

A single-edged hand-forged sabre with a gently curving blade, an iron band welded beneath the cross guard, together with a tongue along the side of the blade; the separate gilt cross guard with spherical ornamented finials to the quillons, the central panel with a stylised face flanked by a pair of leaping lions biting the top of the head, the other side with a lozenge within a ropework frame. 610 grams, 80.5 cm

Fine condition.

Acquired 1971-1972. From the collection of the vendor's father. Property of a London, UK, collector. Accompanied by an academic report by military specialist 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.114437-196034.

This exceptional sabre shows similarity with examples from the Caucasus and Kuban regions. The blade could be Khazar-Magyar, and certainly its best parallels are the specimens from Verchne-Szaltovo area. According to M. Gorelik, some of these sabres were produced by the Kabarians, a breakaway tribe from the Khazar State, who formed an alliance with the Magyars. The extra band welded beneath the quillons, together with the side tongue, not only protected the scabbard from being cut by the blade but, more importantly, defended the warrior’s fingers which were wrapped around the quillons when fighting.

Of cylindrical shape, the upper section with alternating rectangular panels and vertical rows of three prominent spikes, short cylindrical shaft edged at top and bottom. 244 grams, 13.5 cm



Ex London, UK, collection, before 1988.

The mace was probably the oldest weapon used by humans. This weapon has been used in different ways and it was probably considered the main tool in the civilisation of the Kassites because of the high number of maces found in this area. Bronze maces in Luristan probably had wooden handles, although most of them unfortunately have been eroded and severely deteriorated. According to Khorasani, such maces were realised with lost-wax process.