Near East, Turkey & Northwestern Iran, Luristan, ca. 1000 BCE to 600 BCE; Roman, Imperial Period, ca. 1st to 3rd century CE. A collection of 6 bronze and copper pins for securing clothing and hair. All have similar profiles, with a tapering rod or needle-shaped body and a finial head. The longest pin is missing the head, but perhaps had a stone finial attached to the top of lapis lazuli or another semi-precious stone. Before the Roman fibula became widespread, straight pins in Luristan culture - such as this large example - were used for securing cloaks and clothing. The other 5 pins have flared spherical finials and one has a curled tip that forms a suspension loop. These pins were perhaps used as hairpins to secure the elaborate hairstyles of Roman women. The pieces made of bronze and other precious metals were luxury items for the wealthy and were buried in graves to accompany their owners to the afterlife. Size of longest: 8.25" L x 0.25" W (21 cm x 0.6 cm); shortest: 3.125" L x 0.2" W (7.9 cm x 0.5 cm)

Provenance: ex-estate of John Piscopo, San Diego, California, USA, 1990's or earlier. Mr. Piscopo was one of the largest collectors of ancient weapons in the US with a collection that spanned all cultures, all ages.

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#116773

Losses to finial head of largest pin. Losses to surface layers and surface pitting. Perforations and losses to pin rods. Bending of forms. Heavy green patina and mineral deposits.