URARTIAN DECORATED BRONZE BELT DEPICTING CHARIOTS

Ca. 900 - 700 BC. A complete Urartian belt. Made from hammered bronze and decorated in low relief with a central band of four charioteers pulled by horses, occasionally interrupted by large floral motifs. Each band has a raised border. Around the edges, on two sides there are a series of tiny perforations. The repetition highlights the power of the person who wore this belt, suggesting that they commanded many. A small ring at one end shows how the belt was clasped around the waist. Some restoration. For similar see: MET Museum: Accession Number: 52.123. This piece is accompanied by a historical report from Alessandro Neri, an international Cultural Heritage expert based in Florence, Italy. Size: 340mm x 225mm; Weight: 1.31kg Provenance: Property of an Oxfordshire art professional; previously in an old Canadian collection formed in the 1980s. This item has been cleared against the Art Loss Register database and comes with a confirmation letter.