Ancient Near East, northwestern Iran, Luristan, ca. 1100 BCE. A long iron sword with a nearly-flat triangular blade topped with an elaborate handle - a thick guard and flat hilt with what are perhaps abstract ram or ibex forms on either side. Luristan is famous for its bronze work, but its blacksmiths produced some of the oldest-known decorated tools and weaponry in the world. This piece may have been in imitation of the bronze work; hence the incredible handle on this example. This is remarkable because iron is a much less tractable metal to work with compared to bronze, and items like this sword had to be laboriously made from many separate pieces of low-carbon iron. Very few of these iron swords are known to exist. One was found with the lower part of a scabbard; another was inlaid with carnelian. Some of the leather in the scabbards has radiocarbon dates to ca. 1100 BCE, hence the date provided for this sword. Size: 2.8" W x 19.3" H (7.1 cm x 49 cm); 20.5" H (52.1 cm) on included custom stand.

It seems that these pieces were made not to be used in battle, but instead to show status or as votive weapons; there is a strong tradition in the ancient Near East of swords and other weapons being associated with the gods. For example, there is a rock carving dating to ca. 1300 BCE from this region that shows a scene of the gods of the Underworld, including one who is holding a sword similar to this one. Similarly, a golden bowl excavated at Hasanlu shows three swords of similar form to this one that are associated with three deities from the Hittite pantheon.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection; ex-William Froelich collection, New York, USA, collected in the 1970s

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#146587

Slight bending to overall form of blade, with small nicks and abrasions to blade, hilt, and pommel, light pitting holes, with light encrustations, and light softening to some finer details, otherwise intact and excellent. Light earthen deposits as well as fabulous patina throughout.