Decorated boss

Unknown

ca. 8th–7th century BCE · Silver, electrum · Ancient Near Eastern Art

The top of this elaborate object has delicately engraved dotted triangles, and the base is embellished with two bands of guilloches that are similar to those on earlier vessels excavated at Marlik in the south Caspian region of Iran. In 1946 a treasure was reportedly found at a mound near the village of Ziwiye in northwestern Iran. Objects attributed to Ziwiye are stylistically similar to Assyrian art of the eighth and seventh centuries B.C. as well as to the art of contemporary Syria, Urartu, and Scythia. Many objects of gold, silver, bronze, ivory, and ceramic have since appeared on the antiquities market with the provenance of Ziwiye, although there is no way to verify this identification.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 8th–7th century BCE

Medium

Silver, electrum

Culture

Iran

Department

Ancient Near Eastern Art

Credit line

Gift of Alastair Bradley Martin, 1953