This beautiful object may once have been worn as
an amulet, the double-headed horses serving to
keep watch in both directions. The horse was
domesticated in the Near East from the third
millennium BC, and the profusion of horse bronzes in Luristan speaks of its important place in that
society. Such an amulet seems partly whimsical,
partly mystical, a reflection of man's love of this
noble creature.
Luristan (or Lorestan) literally means “Land of the
Lurs”, and was situated in a wide sweep of the
Zagros mountains in what is now western Iran. The
sociopolitics of this area are complex, with
repeated waves and invasions of Medes,
Cimmerians and Persians, amongst others, but the
culture thus created is remarkable for its superb
control of metalworking. There are many styles,
but the best-known pieces of bronze from this
area are anthropomorphic and zoomorphic pieces
reflecting religious and secular tastes, as well as
weaponry and utilitarian items that were buried
with the deceased in tombs across the Zagros
area. It was nonetheless viewed as a precious
resource, and was used alongside iron once this
metal became available, for while its qualities of
hardness and durability were recognized, it merely
made bronze a more socially exclusive material.
The hallmark of Luristan wares is the tendency to
elongate the necks, tails and bodies of the animals
to produce graceful curves and arches. The re-
discovery of the splendor of Luristan metalwork
began in the 1930s and made considerable
progress after World War II. The absence of
relevant written records makes their complex
imagery difficult to interpret in specific religious
terms but it is likely that they represent local
deities of some kind. It has been suggested that
such elaborate bronze items must have been the
preserve of the tribal leaders, a warrior class with
the means to equip themselves and their
households for war.
- (FZ.072)
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