879 - Bronze sword hilt, Zagros Mountains and neighboring regions, c. 1000 B.C.

Bronze sword hilt, Zagros Mountains and neighboring regions, c. 1000 B.C. Complete hilt of a fan-hilted sword in excellent condition with a magnificent dark green patina. The pommel runs perpendicular to the blade, which is no longer present: a slightly curved, hollow tube with thick walls and fine ribs running perpendicular to the tube’s axis in the center. On the lateral edges are the slanted “fans”; smooth on the outside, with a pronounced ridge along the edge on the inside. Toward the bottom, the pommel transitions into a square-shaped grip, featuring a 1-cm-wide thickening running all the way around the top. Below this, there are three or four bosses on each of the opposite sides. There are only three bosses on the sides with the fans, where the handle widens at the bottom after a step and eventually merges “seamlessly” into the crossguard; the crossguard has an oval cross-section and two lateral prongs. The other opposite sides run without a step but feature a fourth boss. At the bottom, the side surface then bends at a right angle and forms the upper end of the crossguard. Recessed slots in the two lateral prongs and the curvature of the crossguard served to secure the iron blade that was once present. The hilt was attached to the iron blade using an overmolded casting technique. Remnants of the iron blade are still present inside the slots; however, it has been milled away along the edge of the curve between the prongs. The tips of the prongs were covered with short rubber caps so that the hilt can be inserted into two precisely fitting holes in a stone base without damaging the original material. Length of the hilt, including the tips embedded in the base: 21.5 cm. Total height with base: 27.2 cm. Dimensions of the base: 9.5 cm x 9.5 cm x 7 cm. The handle has been elaborately reimagined for use as a prestigious desk ornament. However, it can also be used for other decorative purposes. CULTURAL HERITAGE! Provenance: Private collection in Berlin. Acquired from the Axel Guttmann Collection. Acquired for the Guttmann Collection prior to 2000. Condition: I