Bracelet with goat's head terminals

Unknown

ca. 6th–4th century BCE · Gold · Ancient Near Eastern Art

This gold bracelet has terminals in the form of goat heads. The details of the heads are incised, including the nostrils, mouth, chin hair, eyes and eyebrows. Pointed ears extend from the backs of their heads. Curved horns rise from the tops of their heads and connect to the bracelet. Goats, specifically wild mountain goats, were an important aspect of ancient Persian iconography. Unlike Mesopotamia, which is flat, Iran has many mountains, and mountain goats, with their distinctive curved horns, became important markers of Iranian identity, even before the region came to be known as ‘Iran.’

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 6th–4th century BCE

Medium

Gold

Culture

Achaemenid

Department

Ancient Near Eastern Art

Credit line

Rogers Fund, 1980