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A large silver gilt buckle and belt plate decorated with a dragon/bird hybrid monster, head turned back with mouth open, wing against body and long curling tail; angled frame to buckle with ball ends and ribbed cross bar; pin with engraved cross to one end.
A silver phiale mesompholos with intersecting bulbous petals to the base, flaring rim and to the centre a central boss decorated with rosette and framed by lines.
Elam was an ancient pre-Iranian civilization with its capital at Susa. Its culture played a crucial role during the Persian Achaemenid dynasty that succeeded Elam, when the Elamite language remained among those in official use. Elamite is generally accepted to be a language isolate and thus unrelated to the much later arriving Persian and Iranic languages. The neo-Elamite period is distinguished by the migration of Indo-European speaking Iranian peoples into the area, known as Medes from ancient sources. Among these pressuring tribes were the Parsu, first recorded in 844 BC as living on the southeastern shore of Lake Urmiah, but who by the end of this period would cause the Elamites’ original home, the Iranian Plateau, to be renamed Persia proper. Phiale mesomphalos were the most popular form of drinking vessels and were produced in a number of materials, from clay through to silver and gold. They were used in banquets held by the nobility, but were also used to pour libations at religious festivals. They were a common gift from the king to the nobility which helped cement alliances among the different tribes of the Empire. They were also used as diplomatic gifts to visiting dignitaries and they were extremely popular in the kingdom of Macedonia where they were used for purely religious purposes.
Silver Ribbon Torque (neck ring)
Celtic, made in Ireland, 500 B.C.– A.D. 400
Source: The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Embossed ball made of lead and silver
Peru. Chincha. 10th to 15th century AD
H. 2 15/16 in. (7.38 cm)
5 strands of red faience beads with 10 silver spacer plaques and a modern clasp
Mid-Imperial Roman, Severan period, early 3rd century A.D.
The handle depicts the triumphal return of Dionysus from India, an important aspect of the mystery cult, symbolizing triumph over death. The scene occurs frequently on contemporary Roman sarcophagi, but here the procession is shown in the context of Roman trophies, captives, and weapons.
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Detail of a silver plate dating back to the 6th-7th century CE from the Sassanian Empire. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, MD.
Photo by Babylon Chronicle
This is the finest of three known Greek silver tetradrachms of this rare type from Eretria, Euboea (map) struck circa 525-500 BC, with a very large diameter of 36 mm. It shows a bull with it’s hind hoof raised to touch its nose. A swallow sits on his back with an E in retrograde below. The reverse has an octopus in an incuse square.
Eretria counts among the first cities in Greece proper to strike their own silver coins along with Athens, Chalcis and Karystos. Analysis of several hoards has shown that the earliest coins struck in Eretria were contemporary with the first Athenian Owl coins.
The representation of a cow recalls the myth of Io. The young woman, after the birth of her son Epaphos by Zeus, was changed into a cow by Hera who wanted to take revenge on her unfaithful husband. According to one tradition, Epaphos was born in Euboea. As for the octopus, it probably alludes to the city’s maritime activities.
This excessively rare Greek silver stater was struck circa 334-330 BC at Tarentum (map) under Alexander I the Molossian, King of Epiros (r. 350-330 BC). Alexander I was the brother of Alexander III (the Great’s) mother, Olympias. This coin is possibly the work of the great Tarentine engraver Kal. The obverse shows Zeus Dodonaios wearing an oak wreath. The reverse has the inscription ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟ[Υ] / ΤΟΥ ΝΕΟΠΤΟΛΕ[ΜΟΥ] and a thunderbolt with an eagle to the left.
Alexander the Molossian was not only the King of Epeiros but also, through his sister Olympias, the brother-in-law of Philip II of Macedon and the uncle of Alexander III. At the same time his nephew was beginning his epic march to the East, he was called in by the Greek city of Tarentum to save it from the pressure of the aggressive Lucanians and Bruttians. He arrived with an army in 334 BC and was initially successful; he was, however, killed in a minor engagement in 330 BC. This coin was issued in Tarentum to pay his Epeirote troops. It was struck in the Corcyran standard since they preferred the non-Italic weight standard. The artistry is absolutely superb: the head of Zeus is immediately reminiscent of the contemporary issues of Olympias and of Philip II.
Tulwar Sword
Source: Copyright © 2013 Historical Arms & Armor
Flintlock pistol made for eastern trade, elaborately decorated with gold and silver inlays and overlays. Made by H.W. Mortimer and Co. of London with Birmingham proofs, 1805.
Sold at auction by Christies: £17,500 ($28,385)
Thrid model Brown Bess musket decorated with Middle Eastern Silver overlays.
Learn more about Archaeology, History, Anthropology, etc. Open Access (free to read) articles: Letters from Lord Hailes and the Earl of Buchan relative to a proposed collection of Scottish Portraits, and to the formation of the Society of Antiquaries. http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/psas/contents.cfm?vol=2 University museums: problems, policy and progress http://www.ai-journal.com/article/view/ai.0517 The World Heritage Rock Art in Alta http://www.ssfpa.se/pdf/2008/tansem_adorant08.pdf On Cross-Legged Effigies commonly appropriated to Templars http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/archjournal/contents.cfm?vol=1 Notes on a Hoard of Silver Ornaments and Coins, discovered in the Island of Burray, Orkney. http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/psas/contents.cfm?vol=23
Learn more about Open Access and Archaeology at: http://bit.ly/YHuyFK
