Very Large West Central Asian Bronze Stamp Seal Matrix with Stepped Cross

Standing bull with a rider on its back holding onto the horns, leaning forwards, staring the bull in the eyes and applying what is possibly a bridle decorated with a series of impressed 'dots'; the rider seated forward on the shoulders, applied eyes with central impressed 'dot', a series of dots impressed in an X-pattern between shoulders and hips at the rear and three bands of impressed dots to the legs; bull's tail held firmly between his back legs, applied eyes, shallow dots and incised line representing muzzle and mouth, applied collar at the neck decorated with three lines of impressed 'dots'. 41.5 grams, 64 mm

Fair condition, repaired.

Ex important Mayfair, London, UK, collection, before 2000. From the private collection of John Meredith, acquired since the 1990s; thence by descent.

Formed as a Master of Animals atop a collared tubular stem with flared foot; the finial composed of two goats with heads returned and a looped band at the rump, above these two birds standing looking up towards two quadrupeds each with a bird's head on the rump; each in the grip of the Master standing crowned between them; the Master with tubular body, animal-like ears, prominent nose above a small mouth and wearing collars, neck rings and tiered headdress with addorsed bovine heads; waisted socket below and flared dentilled rim; mounted on a display stand. 916 grams total, 43 cm including stand



Acquired in Iran, 1967. Private collection, UK. Accompanied by an academic report by Dr Raffaele D'Amato. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by a search certificate number no.12824-241323.

The “Master of Animals” is a long-lived Near Eastern motif showing a central figure—human, heroic or divine—grasping two confronting beasts, usually by their necks or forelegs. First seen in late 4th–3rd millennium BC Mesopotamian seals, it spread across Iran, Anatolia and the Levant and remained current into the 1st millennium BC. Its meaning is straightforward and powerful: control over the wild, the protection of order, and the sanction of royal or divine authority. The image appears on seals, plaques and weapons, and in the round on bronze fittings and finials (notably in Luristan), where it likely marked status and carried an apotropaic force. For collectors, the type is prized for its clear silhouette and economy of form, the instant legibility of a hero mastering chaos, a theme as old as the first cities and as compelling today.

Restrung group of tabular lozenge beads, spherical and other spacer beads. 88 grams, 85.5 cm



Acquired in London, 1974. Ex K.M., London, UK. with Gorny and Mosch, Auction 252, 13 December 2017, no.357. with Gorny and Mosch, Auction 256, 26 June 2018, no.273. Private collection, London, UK.