Home > Collections > Ancient Near East
Master-of-animals standard finial
ca. 1000-650 B.C.E.

Iron Age II - III

Copper alloy; cast
H: 27.8 W: 9.8 D: 3.0 cm
Iran

Gift of Arthur M. Sackler S1987.79

Enlarge this image | Purchase this image

An important industry in bronze and copper artifacts flourished in the region of Luristan, western Iran, between about 1400 and 600 B.C.E. This object is one of the most typical Luristan bronzes: a finial, or ornamental pole top, which was originally mounted on a bottle-shaped support (see S1995.111). The finials were often fashioned in the form of a demon flanked by panthers (or other leonine creatures). As in this example, the flanking leonine creatures often terminate in predatory heads with a cock's head projecting from the neck.