Head of pin

Unknown

ca. 8th–7th century BCE · Bronze · Ancient Near Eastern Art

The head of this bronze pin probably represents a frog, view from above. It has a triangular head with bulging eyes and a globular body. All of its legs face forward. Part of the shaft of the pin is preserved, projecting from the rear of the frog. This pinhead was excavated at Surkh Dum, a settlement site in Luristan in the Zagros Mountains of western Iran. It was found in a structure interpreted as a sanctuary and was thus probably an offering to a god. Pins were probably used to fasten clothing and as objects of adornment in their own right.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 8th–7th century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Iran

Department

Ancient Near Eastern Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1943