Loading, please wait...
LOT 1870
Western Asiatic Polished Stone Macehead
3RD-2ND MILLENNIUM B.C.
2 1/2 in. (233 grams, 63 mm).
Ovoid body with a round socket.
ProvenanceFrom the collection of a London, UK, gentleman, 1990s.
LiteratureCf. Gorelik, M., Weapons of Ancient East, IV millennium BC-IV century BC, Saint Petersburg, 2003, pl.XXXI, no.30, for similar example.
CONDITIONTimeLine Auctions follows a vetting process to ensure the authenticity and legality of all items, reinforcing our commitment to integrity and responsible trading. Each antiquity, antique, and coin lot undergoes thorough examination by a vetting committee of at least ten external specialists, professional trade association members, scientists, and archaeologists: Our Vetting Process
AUCTIONS:
TimeLine is a leading auction house specialising in antiquities, ancient art, collectables, natural history, coins, medals, and books. Our auctions offer museums, collectors, historians, and enthusiasts the opportunity to acquire unique and historically significant pieces.
-
Elamite Bronze Macehead Inscribed 'To Nin’azu, Bala, son of Lugal-kare-si'
Early Dynastic IIIB Period, circa 2500-2340 B.C.Sold for (Inc. bp): £2,340
Comprising a cylindrical shaft with a narrow flanged base, the upper section with three vertical relief panels decorated by round spikes alternated with a wavy pattern, divided and bordered by parallel ridges, engraved with five lines of Sumerian cuneiform text around the socket, a votive inscription translating to: 'To Nin’azu, Bala, son of Lugal-kare-si, the merchant, has presented (it)'. 350 grams, 11.6 cm
Acquired before 1983. Ex London gallery, 1990s. Private collection, London, UK. This lot has been checked against the Interpol Database of stolen works of art and is accompanied by search certificate number no.13257-253385.
This gorz mace head belongs to the category of truncheon-shaped mace heads, a type developed on the Iranian plateau during the Bronze Age, used by Elamite and Luristan warriors since the 3rd millennium B.C. This category of objects was also interpreted as a part of a shaft or cudgel, but most scholars agree on the interpretation of use as a mace. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Macehead
2nd-1st millennium B.C.Estimate: £150 - 200 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £75
Tubular in plan with collar to mouth and base, five radiating bulbs. 138 grams, 74 mm
From the collection of a gentleman, acquired on the London art market in the 1990s. -
Western Asiatic Bronze Axehead
Late 3rd-early 2nd millennium B.C.Estimate: £200 - 300 (+bp*)
Opening Bid: £111
With a short socketted shaft, the plain rectangular blade broadening towards the cutting edge; side holes on the shaft. 446 grams, 11.4 cm
Ex Abelita family collection, 1980s-2000s.
Unadorned weapons, especially axes, adzes, and picks, were made by Luristan craftsmen using simple clay or stone bivalve moulds, into which a core was inserted to form the socket for the shaft. Typically, the metallic composition consisted of a combination of arsenical bronze and copper, together with a small percentage of lead.
