Pin

Unknown

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

This cast bronze pin has a head in the form of a horned animal, possibly an antelope, with a tubular snout and pointed ears. It 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. Such pins were probably used to fasten clothing and as objects of adornment in their own right. Many have been attributed to Luristan, but this is one of the few examples from an archaeological excavation.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 8th–7th century BCE

Medium

Bronze

Culture

Iran

Department

Ancient Near Eastern Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1943