Luristan Bronze Arrowheads

Ancient Near East, Luristan (Lorestan), c. 1200–800 BC, Northwestern Iran

A beautiful and well-preserved set of two cast copper-alloy arrowheads of classic Luristan type. Each example is leaf-shaped in profile, with a pronounced raised mid-rib running the length of the blade and tapering elegantly to a sharp point. The blades narrow gently from the central body toward the base, demonstrating skilled casting and functional design.

Both arrowheads retain their short sockets and tangs, originally intended to be inserted into wooden shafts to form complete projectiles. The surfaces display an attractive light green patina, enriched with areas of verdigris and earthy encrustation—clear testimony to prolonged burial and considerable antiquity.

Luristan bronzes originate from the province of Lorestan in modern southwestern Iran, a region historically inhabited by various nomadic and semi-nomadic groups, including the Kassites, Medes, and later the Persians. Owing to the mobile lifestyles of these communities, Luristan bronze objects were typically small, lightweight, and highly portable. Their metalwork primarily comprises weapons, ornaments, and ritual vessels, many of which have been recovered from funerary contexts.

These finely formed arrowheads stand as compelling examples of early Near Eastern weaponry, reflecting both the technical sophistication and the distinctive aesthetic traditions of Luristan bronze craftsmanship.

Good condition. Small chips on edges. Surface wear and abrasions commensurate with age and use, corrosion with encrusted green patina. Size approx. 10,4cm x 1,5cm x 0,5cm and 8,0cm x 1,0cm x 0,4cm. Sell as a set.

Provenance: Swedish private collection.

For a similar examples see: 

Arrow-head, The British Museum, Accession Number: 128697 (https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1936-0613-82)

References and further reading:

Bronze and Iron: Ancient Near Eastern Artifacts in The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Oscar White Muscarella, New York 1988, pp. 289-92

Bronzes of Luristan, Oscar White Muscarella, Encyclopedia Iranica, 1989 (https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/bronzes-of-luristan)

Luristan Bronze, Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 May. 2018 (https://www.britannica.com/art/Luristan-Bronze)

Luristan bronzes i, the Field Research, Bruno Overlaet, Encyclopedia Iranica, 2006 (https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/luristan-bronzes-i-the-field-research-)