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COLLECTION OF FIVE INTACT ANCIENT NEAR EASTERN CAST BRONZE HANDLED BLADE WEAPONS INCLUDING A SHORT SWORD Afghanistan BRONZE AGE: 4000 - 3500 years ago This is an exceptional set of FIVE Near Eastern ancient cast bronze handled daggers and short swords of various design. There are four large daggers and one very nice short sword in the middle of the display. Each specimen has a complete intact blade with built-in handle and displays stunning, rich patinas. These fine specimens are all from the Luristan culture and each is of a unique type. The longest specimen is an extremely well-made short sword showing a very fine heavy black patina adding to the impressiveness of the piece. The recessed handles would have been inlaid with either bone, ivory or semi-precious stone. Each specimen has been professionally cleaned and conserved in our lab, being treated with a special wax developed and formulated by the British Museum specifically for ancient bronze preservation. The patina shows beautiful traits only found in authentic ancient weapons. It is a patina like this that the finest ancient bronzes are prized for and it is a patina like this that brings a premium in price and value of the specimen. Blades all still have original handles attached. This is a great set of ancient bronze blade weapons for a museum display to showcase the various styles of this period of weapon manufacture. All specimens are with NO REPAIR AND NO RESTORATION OR FABRICATION. A fine set of impressive infantry blade weapons from this famous Bronze Age culture. WARNING: There is an increasing number of fake Near Eastern (Luristan) bronze weapons on the market. As fine quality intact, original specimens become more scarce and techniques have become more sophisticated to fake these weapons. We have personally handled numerous extremely well-done fakes with extremely convincing patinas. The degree to which the fakers have been able to replicate patina to disguise their work requires an expert examination by highly experienced individuals. It is common to find very reasonably priced weapons that are made up of part original and part modern components or wholly modern pieces displaying elaborate artificial patinas. All purchases should include from the dealer a written guarantee of authenticity with unconditional and lifetime return policies regarding such guarantee. The term LURISTAN references artifacts made by a society of semi-nomadic people that once lived in the mountainous region of Northwest Iran. Little is known of this ancient culture but the most impressive traces are that of the bronze artifacts they left behind. These include highly decorative equipment for their horses, ceremonial containers and numerous weapons ranging from simple utilitarian pieces on up to elaborate masterpieces of warfare. It is theorized that the Luristan bronzes were crafted by the earliest existence of the Median empire but this has never been proven as written records of the Medes have not survived. The Medes were Indo-Iranian people originally from central Asia who settled in Northwest Iran in the 9th century BC and later defeated the Assyrian empire in 614 BC. Their success is short-lived and their empire which once stretched from central Iran to the Persian Gulf and Anatolia was overrun in 550 BC by the Persians. EXCEPTIONAL MUSEUM SET OF FIVE DIFFERENT BLADE WEAPONS INCLUDING A FINE SHORT SWORD - EXCELLENT DISPLAY OF STYLES 14.75" - 11.5" in lengths SOLD LUR011 INCLUDES DISPLAY BOX Actual Item - One Only |
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3495 |
