Very Large Bactrian Copper Armband with Animal-Headed Terminals

2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.

4 1/8 in. (616 grams, 10.4 cm).

Penannular armband with shallow D-section hoop and terminals formed as stylised ram-heads, each with exaggerated coiled horns, circular eyes set with cream-coloured beads and shallow semi-circular muzzles; transverse bands of geometric motifs along the neck.

Provenance

with a London, UK gallery 1971-early 2000s.
Private collection, London, UK.

Footnotes

The bracelet is a product of the Bactria-Margiana Archaeological Complex ('BMAC', also developed from the 'Oxus Civilisation'), which was the dominant culture in the 3rd and 2nd millennium (often dated to c. 2250-1700 B.C.) in that area, corresponding roughly to modern Tajikistan and Afghanistan. The members of the group practised animal husbandry and a limited form of agriculture, with wheeled carts from the 4th millennium B.C. Its craftsmen were proficient at working metals and alloys, including bronze, copper, silver, and gold. Fortified sites with multiple walls are another notable BMAC development.

CONDITION

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LOT 0218