Western Asiatic Banded Agate Bead Necklace String

With basal ring, bulbous body, loop handle and long pouring lip with strainer and thumb-pad; hatched and scrolled painted decoration. 292 grams, 17.7 cm



UK collection, 1990s. Acquired on the UK art market, before 2000. Private collection, Mr M.V., a London-based businessman.

Comprising seven circular mounts, each with a repoussé winged lion, depicted in a seated pose with its head turned, pierced thrice through the outer rim. 1.92 grams total, 15 mm each



Private English collection, formed between the late 1970s and early 1990s. Private collection, UK.

Gold held immense significance in the Achaemenid Empire, not only as a symbol of wealth and divine favour but also as a practical medium for art, currency, and royal regalia. It was used in architectural decoration, lavish court objects, jewellery, and ceremonial ware, often reflecting the empire’s vast wealth and cosmopolitan reach. Among the prominent motifs in Achaemenid art is the lion-griffin—a mythical creature combining the body of a lion with the wings of an eagle. This powerful image, frequently seen in gold appliqués, seals, and metalwork, conveyed themes of imperial power, protection, and control over both terrestrial and celestial realms. The lion-griffin stood as an emblem of dominance and guardianship, befitting the grandeur of Persia’s imperial ideology.

Modelled in the round as a zebu standing four-square with head raised; columnar muzzle with shallow slit mouth, discoid eye-sockets to accept and inlay; lateral loops at the shoulder and tubular filler-hole; separate hump forming a lid with corresponding loops for attachment. 870 grams, 16.5 cm wide



Private collection, New York, 1987. with Bonhams, London, 1 May 2013, no.154. Accompanied by a copy of the relevant Bonhams catalogue pages. Accompanied by a copy of French passport no.119527. 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 search certificate number no.12976-245249.

The majestic zebu bull, with its heavy dewlap and wide curving horns, was considered to be a symbol of majesty and power since the first civilizations of the Indus Valley. It was the leader of the herd, the strength and virility (then symbol of fecundity) of which protected the group and ensured the procreation of the species. This is the reason why it was often chosen for sacrificial rites. It probably represented the emblem of the most powerful clans or top classes of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa and it was the most impressive motif found in these cities, appearing constantly on painted pottery and bronze or clay figurines of the Indus area.